


The Jedi and The Spy

by MJayde66



Series: SWTOR: OTP: Of Sugar and Fluffe™ [1]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: ALL OF ZE FLUFF, Fluff, Mostly Fluff, Pure Fluffe, Smut, Some angst, meet cute
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-16
Updated: 2017-11-04
Packaged: 2019-01-18 05:51:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 32,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12382194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MJayde66/pseuds/MJayde66
Summary: She was Jedi and He was a Spy. Those two don't normally go together but the Force tends to have it's own 'normal'. A chance meeting where Peytzia and Theron bump into each other leads to other chance meetings...until one day they realize that it wasn't by chance at all. Full of Ze Fluffe™.





	1. Excerpt 1: Meet Cute

**Author's Note:**

> I made Peytzia and wrote this story just for Fluff. There is a hint of a plot and when i finished this fic originally...I thought that would be it. However, recently expansions and such have got me wondering what other fluffy things could happen with these two silly cuties. So, Peytzia may receive her own series and get some more adventure.   
> ALso, im sorry to all of you who were reading the Jedi and the Spy before it disappeared. I had to go through and clean out my fics as for some reason nothing was looking as it should on my computer so i thought there was something weird going on with it completely. I have found out thats not exactly the case anymore. It might take me a couple days but i'm getting it back up!

Most people would take leave and go on a vacation somewhere nice. Peytzia Katarn, Jedi Knight of the Republic, however, was spending the few days of leave she’d been granted by GrandMaster Satele Shan by checking on a few people who had helped her bring Darth Angral and his Desolator weapon down. People like Agent Galen who was on the tail end of his recovery from his encounter with Lord Sadic, people like General Var Suthra who carried a lot of guilt that such weapon projects she’d had to dismantle or steal back from the Empire had even been created. The last year had been...a whirlwind of terrible threat after threat. It somehow felt wrong to take even a few days to herself, not when so many people were still feeling the effects of Darth Angral’s actions.

  
So lost in her thoughts was she, that Peytzia didn’t notice the brush of feeling in her lekku as she turned a corner.

  
And crashed right into a rather solid object.

  
“Oh!” Peytzia said as datapads fell to the ground scattering about. She nearly lost her own footing as she tried to step back over the mess. A rough, calloused hand reached out to wrap around her elbow to keep her from completely toppling over.

  
“Whoa,” said a masculine voice with a slightly amused lilt. “Sorry about that, didn’t see you there.”

  
Time seemed to slow to a crawl in that moment as his voice seemed to wash over her skin like the feeling of a rare cool breeze under the dry heat of Tatooine. He was a good head or so taller than her with an athletic build under a red and white jacket and a faded tunic. She looked up into golden-brown eyes that were warm like the sun but there was an underlying haunted touch to those depths. His left eye was framed by a set of cybernetic enhancements that seemed to only add to his style, including his rather spiky hair. He was...a very handsome man, but it was his smile that held her enraptured...kind but apologetic and with a lack of smile and laugh lines. He didn’t smile very often.

  
Reality sped back up when she realized his hand was still on her elbow, gentle but strong. Like an anchor.

  
Suddenly aware that she was staring, she flushed with embarrassment as she took a step back, mindful of the datapads. Her forest-green eyes darted away from the man’s face and she immediately kneeled down to start picking up the datapads that she’d knocked from his hands.

  
“I am so sorry,” Peytzia managed to get out as she tried to rationalized her embarrassment and why she felt so flustered. “I wasn’t paying attention.”

  
He knelt down to pick up the datapads along with her. She acutely aware of him when their fingers brushed. Despite her attempt to resist, she looked up only to meet his gaze and the same amused but kind smile. For a moment, she couldn’t breathe. He took the datapads from her and gave his head a slight shake, looking away from her.

  
“Don’t worry about it,” He said, as they both stood. “I was pretty much barreling down the corridor so we can just say it was my fault.”

  
She could only return a small smile, “It’s...okay.” Apparently, she was at a loss for words.

 

Theron Shan gave his head another shake and inwardly winced. He was staring, had been staring ever since they’d crashed into each other which had only been….what maybe two minutes ago? It felt like time had stopped and they’d been standing there, near enough to touch for hours. The initial crash hadn’t been what caught his attention, though having a stack full of carefully organized datapads crashing and scattering to the floor should have him incredibly annoyed. Perhaps it would, later but that first brush of skin on skin contact as he had reached out and grasped her elbow to keep her from falling down over the mess of datapads had...sent a jolt through him. It was like being struck by lightning but...not at all in a painful way.

  
He’d spoken, then she’d looked up at him. Her face the most adorable expression of surprise he’d ever seen on anyone. Then their gazes locked.

  
Everything that had him tense and stressed out seemed to melt away into the dark green depths of her eyes. A sense of...calm came over him.

  
It was so out of left field that he immediately tried to think of some joke to cover up the fact he was staring.

  
Then she’d moved. Her eyes went to the ground as she started picking up datapads, apologizing in a slightly breathless voice.

  
He moved impulsively, picking up datapads. Their fingers brushed, another jolt shot through him.

  
It had all happened so fast that he was now standing there making some lame excuse to settle the blame of the collision on him.

  
Her slight shifting reminded him they were still standing there.

  
For some reason, he didn’t want to leave.

  
“Um, sorry and thanks for helping me pick these back up,” he said, lamely.

  
“No need to apologize,” she said, giving him a slightly nervous smile.

  
_And now it’s awkward, walk away, idiot,_ Theron chastised himself. _Say goodbye and walk away._

  
“Have a good day,” he said, turning and leaving. Belatedly, he realize how rude that had been and tossed a glance over his shoulder.

  
The beautiful Togruta was gone.

  
_Good job,_ Theron thought with a bit of annoyance. _You could have introduced yourself at least._ Fixing his gaze ahead again, he moved. Didn’t matter now, he’d probably never see her again.

 

Peytzia turned the corner and leaned against the wall for a moment. Taking a deep breath, she tried to settle her nerves. Whatever that had been...she had no idea. She’d never had such a...rush of emotion and excitement over a simply accidental collision like that.

  
With a peek around the corner, she glimpsed his back as he moved quickly away from her and down the corridor.

  
With another deep breath, she shook her head and started to make her way out of the Senate Tower. As she walked, she forced herself to ignore the small little part of her that wondered if she would ever cross his path again.


	2. Excerpt 2: By Chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theron never expected to see the beautiful Togruta Jedi again after literally bumping into her back on Coruscant. The Force decided otherwise.

Theron hadn’t expected to ever see the beautiful Togruta with the magenta skin, the purple markings on white montrals and lekku, with the facial markings that only added to accentuate her facial features and those calming forest green eyes ever again after their collision in the halls of the Senate Tower. He’d occasionally thought about her then promptly wondered why he was thinking about a woman after one single meeting, a woman he would probably never meet again in the whole wide galaxy. He certainly didn’t expect to see her again as he approached a chamber at the end of a long hallway within the Jedi Temple on the planet of Tython.

  
No, he hadn’t expected to ever see her again.

  
Let alone finding out she was a Jedi, and not just any Jedi, but the Hero of Tython, the Jedi who’d taken down Darth Angral.

  
Truth be told however, she wasn’t even on his mind as he stepped into the private meditation chamber of the Jedi Order’s Grand Master who also happened to be his mother. No, the beautiful Togruta with the calming green eyes was far from his train of thought.

  
His latest mission to the Vesla System deep within Imperial space was occupying his thoughts. He could barely wrap his mind around it all. The Sun Razer…killing stars one by one to speed up production of super-weapons…There had been at least a dozen of those super-weapons that he had seen with his own eyes. All on the back of slaves…

  
Master Ngani Zho had discovered it all. It had driven him mad. Theron had found him telling stories in the ruins of Taris...and it was Zho’s adamant urging that they’d gone to the Vesla System.  
The hollow feeling that had taken up residence in his chest since the Vesla system tightened.

  
Master Zho, the man who had raised him, was foremost on his thoughts...the news he had to give the Jedi Grand Master about her former master.

  
It was shock to Theron when he saw the familiar magenta skin of the Togruta from Courscant. But given what was running around in his head, it was a pleasant shock.

  
Her back was to him, she was standing before a desk discussing something in a slightly hushed tone.

  
“Are you alright, Master?” She spoke. The realization that she was Jedi hit Theron like a ton of bricks. If he hadn’t been so taken with her, pulled into those eyes, he would have noticed the uniquely crafted light-sabers on her. One on each hip.

  
“I...um… yes, Peytzia, I’m sorry,” said a voice from beyond the Togruta.

  
The Togruta, Peytzia, fell silent then but turned around, stepping to the side when she saw Theron standing in the meditation chamber’s door way.

  
“You have a visitor, Grand Master,” Peytzia said, calmly. She gave a nod to Theron who returned the gesture though it felt a bit hollow.

  
There was a weird tension in the air and suddenly it felt like all the air was being sucked out of his lungs. Theron shifted his footing as his gaze landed on the Jedi Grand Master, Satele Shan. He’d always known what she looked liked. Tall, athletic like any Jedi, with brown hair with gray threaded through it. Their eyes were different, his mother held lighter colored eyes, grey. His were brown. Even so, those eyes were...watching him intently. A bit too intently.

  
Theron kept his expression schooled, his emotions in check.

  
“Grand Master,” He said.

  
“If you need me, Master, I’ll be going over Master Tol Braga’s reports,” Peytzia said, providing a smooth exit as she bowed her head to the Grand master.

  
“Very well, Peytzia, may the Force be with you,” Satele said a bit absently.

  
Peytzia turned and headed out of the room as Theron slid to the side to allow her passage. Their eyes met briefly and once again just as it had happened on Coruscant, a small sense of calm washed over him.

  
Then she was gone, just like before.

  
He turned back to Satele and took a deep breath as he pulled out a single light-saber from the pocket of his jacket.

  
There was never an easy way to go about speaking of death.


	3. Excerpt 3: Well Met, Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After giving the Grand Master sad news, Theron stops by the Jedi Temple's cantina for a drink before catching a shuttle...and strikes up a quiet friendship of sorts with Peytzia.

He needed a drink and a strong one. He walked briskly down the corridor, away from the Grand master’s chambers and towards the opposite side of the Jedi Temple. They had a Cantina, though he wasn’t sure if they had any type of alcohol. He wasn’t sure Jedi drank honestly. Even if he needed to settle with something hot, he needed the moment to decompress, just a bit. Otherwise, he would just pace back and forth on the Temple’s shuttle pad waiting for the next ride off the planet. He would probably do that anyway, but a drink, a cantina setting, a moment to himself, he needed that right now.

That was until he stepped into the temple’s cantina. It was so small there were hardly any tables. It made a certain kind of sense, it wasn’t like the Jedi Temple was a tourist destination. Still, it made his attempt to decompress a bit slightly problematic. As he approached the well kept bar where there were no bar stools to be found, he scanned the room. Not a single table was empty. Then he saw a rather familiar face at the only table that still had empty seating. A slight spike of apprehension shot up his spine. He wasn’t really in the mood for company and by the looks of the table where Peytzia sat, she wasn’t expecting any. He ordered a hot tea of some type and took a quick sip. The scolding of his tongue seemed to sober him...or distract him enough to make what he felt was a stupid move.

He walked up to her table.

No doubt she sensed him approach because she looked up when he was still a few steps away. Her face was calm yet curiosity sparked in her eyes.

“Sorry to bother you,” he started, “do you mind if I take one of these seats? Place is a little crowded.”

She gave a small chuckle and smiled, a genuine smile that only lit her features and crinkled the skin around those brilliant green eyes, “It usually is crowded around the dinner meal. I don’t mind, sit down.”

“Thanks, name’s Theron by the way.” he said as he sat down, trying to keep from looking and risking getting lost in those eyes. Their...collision...on Coruscant was still fresh in his memory and that had been weeks ago.

“I’m Peytzia, well met, again.” She said with hinted amusement.

“Remember that, do you? Sorry about that, I was uh...in a bit of a rush,” Theron said, inwardly wincing at the lame excuse.

Settled into the surprisingly comfortable chair, he placed his tea down and glanced around the Cantina. It was noisy but annoyingly so. He felt out of place here, surrounded by Jedi and they now served as a reminder of the loss he’d only so recently suffered.

“Are you okay?” Her voice was low, quiet.

He looked at her sharply, uncertain,“Um..yeah...”

“I’m sorry,” She said, frowning and looking down at her data-pads. “It’s none of my business.”

“Oh, no,” Theron said, “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just not used to that question.” Way to stick your foot in your mouth, he thought to himself. No doubt she could probably sense his…he didn’t really have a word for the emotions he still felt.

“Just had a rough mission, that’s all,” He said.

Peytzia nodded, her montrals shivered, just barely visible, “I know exactly what that means.” A flicker of pain and sadness flashed through her green eyes.

“Maybe,” Theron said, quietly.

She tilted her head and gave him a questioning look, “What do you mean by that?”

You have such a way with words and women, he growled inwardly. This was not going the way he’d thought it would. So much for decompressing.

“I didn’t mean anything,” he said, looking away from her.

Realization crossed her face, “You’ve lost someone close to you.” Her voice went low again, surprising him with the consideration that showed. Keeping it from earshot of the tables near them.

“Yeah,” was all he could say. Talking about things like this with people he barely knew wasn’t his forte but there was something about her that made him want to spill the beans.

The small smile that graced her lips as she leaned toward him just a little was both sad and understanding, “Believe it or not, we have something in common.”

He looked at her then, meeting her gaze fully with his own, “Not something that’s been said to me very often, least of all by a Jedi.”

She chuckled softly, the sound floated around him. “Sometimes us Jedi can forget that not every one feels things like we do, and that everyone Jedi or not, is different.”

A memory of Master Zho flashed through his mind, lifting the corner of his mouth, “Yeah, I can see that.”

“It’s okay to feel, Theron,” she said, her voice seemed to hug his name. “And it’s okay to not have the slightest clue how to talk about it.”

He sat there for a moment, thinking on her words and the strange desire to tell her about the mission though technically he couldn’t, SIS, top secret and all that.

“You know, you could ask for something stronger if you wanted,” She said, giving a nod to his tea.

“Honestly, I didn’t think there was anything stronger in a Jedi Cantina,” He joked, feeling some of the tension ease from his shoulders.

She laughed, it was a pleasant melodic sound, very close to her actual voice, “Well, we don’t have anything too fancy but every now and then a little sip can do wonders.”

A friendship of sorts was struck then. The Jedi and the Spy shared a simple a drink casually discussing pointless things for the next hour. When it was time for him to leave and catch his shuttle, Theron realized he felt lighter then he had in a very long time.

Standing up, he looked at her.

“Thanks, Peytzia, this did do wonders,” He said, the words feeling a bit clumsy in his mouth. “Next time, I’ll buy.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” she said with a smile. “Take care, Theron.”

“You too, I mean it,” Theron said giving her a smile back. “See you around the galaxy.”

And with that, he turned and headed out of the cantina. As he approached the shuttle pad, he had a small hope that he would see her again. Though he wasn’t one to admit it, even to himself.


	4. Excerpt 4: Hutt Ball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theron and Peytzia find they have something in common...Hutt Ball.

Being asked to send someone a secure transmission of intel on a planet wasn’t an uncommon request. He wasn’t usually the one who was asked, but sometimes it happened. Usually the recipients of his intelligence messages were people he didn’t even know, or fellow agents. This was slightly different. The recipient for this current intel file on the situation on the toxic planet of Quesh was someone he did know and not a fellow agent. They’d spoken a few times in the last month since their meeting in the Tython cantina, Peytzia kept in touch even if he was a bit forgetful on that front. It was strange but not in a bad way. There had been no reason for further contact after Tython...but he’d been asked to send her a specific report on the Balmorran Arms factory just a few days later. He didn’t even bat an eye at the fact that someone in the SIS obviously knew of their...acquaintance.

  
Theron had left a short little note along with the secured and encrypted file. He still didn’t know what had pushed him to leave that note.

 

_I don’t know what your mission is and I won’t pry, I get it. Part of my job too, but I was asked to send this to you. It’s completely secured and encrypted. Whatever is going on, just take care and be careful. I still owe you a drink._   
_T._

Usually he would have simply stopped after the whole “here you go” bit but...he’d felt he had needed to add that little personal touch to it. Why, he still had no clue about. It just felt…right.  
Of course, he hadn’t expected a reply at all. The very next evening, he had a small note from her secured holo-frequency.

_T,_   
_Thank you for the information. It will go a long way in what I’m doing here. No details but maybe one day we can swap stories. My people are big on stories, perhaps I’ll tell you one of my favorite stories from my tribe sometime. I appreciate your concern and don’t worry about me, the Force is with me and my crew. I’ll be back and perhaps you can buy me a caf. I know a lovely little cafe on Coruscant. Until then, take care of yourself._   
_P._

It was nothing more than a small friendly message. Even so, her words had made him smile. More than that, he didn’t automatically delete the message, instead he archived it before realizing what he had done. Strangely enough, it didn’t faze him in the slightest. That was a standard month ago. There hadn’t been any other messages. She was on a mission and he’d had his own though most of his were local.

  
Then he’d got a call on his holo at a stupid early hour in the morning. He’d almost just ignored it until his sleep filled eyes had seen that it was her. It sobered him up pretty quickly and he had been almost completely awake when he’d answered her call.

  
“Did I wake you?” She’d asked, no doubt reaching that conclusion by the state of his messy bed head.

  
“Yeah, but it’s okay. Need to get up anyway,” he’d chuckled. She’d smiled and told him she was heading to Coruscant, no more than a few hours away.

  
“I can buy you that cup of caf you mentioned,” he’d perked up at the news. Some distant part of him said he was a bit too happy to hear she was on her way to meet him, but the sleepy part of him really didn’t care.

  
Now, five hours later Theron sat at a windowed booth in the small cafe that Peytzia had suggested.

  
He’d been requested to send her information on the toxic world of Quesh...but this time he wasn’t sending a transmission to her holo-frequency. Instead, he’d complied the files on Quesh onto one single, encrypted and secure datapad and he had every intention of handing it to her face to face. He faced the door and most of the entrances into the cafe. It wasn’t exactly his preferred scene but she had been right. It was a nice little place. Patrons milled about grabbing their preferred beverages form the Selkath barista and chose their seats from the arranged round tables or windowed booths. He’d chosen one in the corner furthest from the front entrance. Perhaps it was habit but...something had told him to take this booth even when the others would have had similar vantage points. There was something off….but there was nothing that gave him any idea what that ‘off’ feeling meant.

  
Scanning the cafe and the area outside his window, he remained alert.

  
Then she appeared. He didn’t see her so much as felt her enter the cafe. His eyes were immediately drawn to her. She looked tired but her smile at the cafe greeter was just as bright as it had been on Tython.

  
A sense of nervousness started to creep up his neck and he reached up as if to scratch it away. He stood up as she approached their table.

  
“Theron, it’s good to see you again,” she said, her eyes seemed to light up when he met her gaze.

  
“Good to see you too,” Theron nodded and couldn’t help but give her a smile back as he gestured to her seat. He waited until she was settled before sitting back down.

  
“Nice little place you chose,” Theron said as he glanced around for a waiter.

  
“They have the best iced caf,” she said, “Which I really need right now.” A chuckled followed her words.

  
“Yet another thing we have in common,” Theron joked with a slight smirk as he beckoned a waiter over. They ordered their caf of choice and Theron waited until the waiter had left with their orders before he pulled the datapad out of his pocket and slid it across the table to her.

  
“You’re going to need that,” He said casually.

  
With a slight frown, she looked at him with a quizzical expression before taking the datapad. “What is it?”

  
“Intel that you’re going to need,” Theron answered simply, giving her a pointed look. They weren’t in a place for that type of discussion.

  
“Oh, I see,” she said, getting the hint. “Well, thank you.”

  
Theron leaned back and stole a glance at her. She was looking out the window with the hint of a smile softening her face. He searched for something to say and was coming up empty. His nervousness was making his mind go blank.

  
At that moment she gave a soft laugh and said, “I have nothing to say it seems.”

  
The small lick of nerves he felt evaporated under that sound. He chuckled, “That makes two of us.”

  
“Well, I guess we can just sit here and enjoy each others company until our drinks are done,” Peytzia smirked.

  
He chuckled again, “We could, or we can pick a topic, lady’s choice.”

  
“Put me in the hot seat already, huh?”

  
He laughed, “I didn’t think Jedi got nervous?”

  
“Didn’t we have that conversation on Tython?” She shot back, amusement twinkling like stars through the forest green of her eyes.

  
“Fair enough,” he said.

  
Their drinks arrived.

  
“You wouldn’t happen to know the latest scores of last weeks hutt ball match, would you?” She asked, her cheeks seemed to grow a slightly darker shade of magenta. Theron blinked at her in surprise which only seemed to deepen her blush as her eyes skittered away from him to glance out the window. For a moment he didn’t think he’d ever seen a more adorable blush.

 

Peytzia felt awkward and embarrassment crashed over her when he stared at her. It was such a silly response but she knew why she felt this way. She was a Jedi and Jedi were supposed to be above such silly distractions, at least that is what everyone seemed to believe. Add the embarrassment to the strange feeling of butterflies in her stomach whenever he looked at her, she was downright nervous. She looked away from him and out the window wishing the floor would open up and swallow her whole.

  
“I’m sorry, it’s not big deal,” she said apologetically, wrapping her hands around her iced caf.

  
“No, no,” Theron said, taking a sip of his caf. “It’s okay. I just didn’t think you would be into Huttball. Anyway, I do actually know the scores and who won if you want to know.”

  
“Oh,” she said, looking up and meeting his golden-brown eyes. There was no judgment to be seen, only a genuine curiosity mixed with something else she couldn’t quite place.

  
“Well, I can tell you on one condition,” Theron said, mischievousness sparkled in his eyes. “Who’s your team?”

  
Peytzia’s eyes narrowed at him slightly as her lips curved in a half smile, “Frogdogs.”

  
Theron’s eyebrows shot up and he nodded in approval, “Well, you’re just full of surprises, aren’t you? Good answer. They won the last game by five.”

  
“Oh good,” She said, taking a sip of her caf. “Very good. I take it your team is another thing-”

  
“We have in common?” Theron finished her sentence with a chuckle, “Right you are. To be honest though, I’m dying to hear how you, a Jedi, got into something like Hutt Ball.”

  
This time her smile wasn’t shy or nervous, like it normally was whenever someone discovered her little thing with huttball. Usually, when it came to light, it was more of a mocking situation as if it was unheard of for a Jedi to like something such as Hutt Ball. With Theron though, it was different. She could only sense a genuine type of comraderie, friendship, no judgment or prejudice.

  
“My tribe actually,” She answered, finding it easier to explain to him than it ever had been with other people. “Aside from hunting and everything else that went with the tribe, Hutt ball was a sort of…get-together for us. Of course, I was very young at the time but I remember we’d all gather together, there would be a variety of food, snacks, drinks and all of us were together just watching Hutt-ball. I didn’t really understand the game then but it was...good. It was like a little celebration where we would all be together enjoying something and sharing in it. I’ve...always carried that with me. So, I still follow Hutt ball.”

  
His face seemed to soften at her story and she was aware of the butterflies in her stomach starting to do back flips and somersaults, she looked away, into her iced caf before taking another sip.

  
“That’s really nice to hear,” Theron said, his voice soft. “I just started watching it to pass the time in training but...uh, that’s pretty great.”

  
Their eyes met again and silence seemed to settle around them for a moment before she couldn’t help but give a laugh.

  
“Well, I think we’ve found a topic,” she said, “But it seems we need another. Gentleman’s choice, this time.”

  
At her words, he laughed, the sound was low and felt like satin.

  
“Alright, don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he said with a wink.

 

They sat there for another hour and another drink chatting, talking of mundane but interesting topics. Both of them felt something, a connection growing between them, starting small but neither voiced it, nor gave the other any sign of acknowledging the feeling. Each listening intently to the other’s words, each stealing small glances at the other while the other wasn’t looking, it was small but intimate yet not overly so.

  
What would happen next would only serve to make their connection grow stronger yet they would not realize it until much later.


	5. Excerpt 5: So Wrong, Yet So Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When as sudden threat ends their caffa meeting, Peytzia is overcome by a strange urge.

They’d fallen away from the casual topics and had since started discussing things like where they’d grown up, what some of their likes and dislikes were. Nothing too personal, just friends getting to know one another. Not that either of them were secretly wanting to know more and more of the other.

  
“Where did you grow up?” Peytzia had asked Theron as she sipped more of her iced caf. There had been a moment of..hesitation cross his features at the question but it was gone as soon as she had seen it. He proceeded to answer her, giving a few childhood stories of him and the man who had raised him, Master Ngani Zho. She’d heard recently of Master Zho’s death. Stories of him were told to Jedi younglings and many of his teachings lived on through those he had trained. She had never had the privilege of meeting him. She had not expected him to have raised a child but she was glad to know that Theron would understand more about the Jedi through that then most people she interacted with did.

  
“Pretty much after that, I joined the SIS,” he finished, his voice was touched with emotion and she made the connection to their last meeting on Tython and that of Zho’s recent death. She had no doubt it was still affecting him. Sadness had tinted the golden brown of his eyes and his presence felt as if cloud were slowly moving to cover up the sun.

  
She reached across the table and laid her hand gently over his and gave a comforting squeeze. He looked up at her surprised at the contact but didn’t pull his hand away.

  
“I didn’t know him personally,” she said softly, “But I’ll take the chance and say I bet he’s proud of you.”

  
Theron was silent, their gazes locked. He seemed to be searching for something in her face. After heartbeat that felt like eternity, he finally turned his hand over under hers and gave a squeeze back with a sad but appreciative smile.

  
“Thanks,” he said before she pulled her hand back. Her skin was tingling from where their hands had touched. Such a strange sensation, a pleasant one and she wasn’t sure what it meant.

  
Taking another sip of her iced caf, she glanced back at him. He was studying her and the butterflies were at their acrobatics again. His gaze briefly flickered to her lips. The thought of how his lips were feel against hers flashed across her mind. Would his lips leave the same tingling sensation as his hand did?

  
_You are a Jedi_ , came the chastising thought. _You know the code, the rules. Attachment is strictly forbidden._

  
Perhaps it was time to end this meeting, but if attachment was truly strictly forbidden wouldn’t that count for friends? The old questioned she’d asked as a youngling rose to the fore-front of her mind and she took another sip of her iced caf. Not even some of the Masters had given her a true definitive answer to that question. This wasn’t the first time she’d questioned the code but it was the first time she’d done it because of a man. She chanced another glance at him.

  
He wasn’t looking at her, instead he seemed to be frowning into the distance.

  
_Yep, it’s time to go,_ she thought to herself. She’d have to ponder it all later. They were simply friends, not to mention it was doubtful he even thought of her that way.

  
_Why are you thinking like this?_ She inwardly scolded herself. _Enough already_. She was about to grab her cup and take the last sip of her iced caf when it suddenly exploded into pieces of wet glass. A shard landed on her left hand between her thumb and forefinger point down, drawing blood.

  
Her mind froze for a moment, trying to process what had just happened when screaming erupted from other patrons as another blaster bolt zipped by close enough to graze her right montral. Pain followed by a mild numbness erupted along her montral and she hissed as her right arm automatically shot up to the wound.

  
She barely had time to react before Theron kicked up the table between them. It landed on it’s side forming a makeshift barricade before he reached for her, hauled her out of her seat and down on the ground next to him. The table keeping them from view of whoever was taking potshots at her.

  
A sliver of panic wanted shoot up her spine and overwhelm her.

  
Peytzia took a deep breath and removed her shaky hand from her right montral. The Jedi code chanted in her mind and the panic vanished. She was more alert, more aware.

  
She was held up against Theron’s side, one of his arms wrapped around her, protectively. His face was serious, his presence in the force was like that of a sun burning through any dark cloud in it’s way. He chanced a glanced up and over the table they were huddled against.

  
“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice gruff.

  
“Yeah,” she said, calmly. “It was just a graze.” She looked at her hand and saw a smear of blood. It was going to hurt a lot more later on but that didn’t matter now. He looked at her hand, then his eyes flicked up to her right montral and he cursed.

  
“Dammit,” he murmured. Another blaster bolt zinged by over head.

  
“I’m calling it in, I can’t see where this guy is coming from,” he said, his tone angry.

  
“Hold on,” she whispered, her eyes sliding to the left. Someone was moving...a ways from them. Their intentions were dark, nearly chaotic.

  
“There is one in the cafe,” she whispered, as she pulled her light-sabers from her hips.

  
His right hand held one of his two blasters, the other shot out and settled on her left wrist, drawing her eyes to him.

  
“Nothing heroic, Jedi,” He said, his tone took on something akin to an order.

  
“There are too many innocent people around here,” she said in response. She moved to stand but his grip on her wrist tightened keeping her from rising.

  
“And whoever is out there shooting is after you,” Theron snapped. “Every single shot has been aimed at you, Peytzia.”

  
“Even more reason to for me to draw their attention while you get everyone out of this cafe,” she argued.

  
“Snipers aren’t your everyday soldier or thug, their usually highly and expertly trained assassins,” Theron said, glancing over the table’s rim, a blaster bolt zinged past him.

  
“Well, they seem to be missing right now,” she said, patiently. “And I’ve faced snipers before, Theron.”

  
“We don’t have time to debate this in a committee,” he snapped, not letting go of her wrist. “You’re not getting sniped on my watch.”

  
His words hit her like an insult and she twisted her wrist easily out of his grasp and she stood up, light-sabers igniting with a snap-hiss. Letting the force guide her movements, her arms moved swiftly. Her blades creating a beautiful series of designs in the air as she deflected blot after bolt after bolt. She was more than competent enough to defend herself.

  
“Get them out of here, Theron,” she said over her shoulder, using the Force to carry her voice to him. Several patrons were huddled under their tables, fear was heavy and potent in the air.

  
There was a strange look of awe on his face for a moment before he nodded a bit rigidly and dashed out from behind the table.

 

Theron had seen the flash hurt cross her face when his words had left his mouth, his hand tight on her wrist. Everything she’d said had been true, right but the thought of her putting herself into such a position where all it took was one well placed sniper shot to kill her was too much for him to think about. Zho’s death was still too fresh for him to even allow those thoughts. She twisted out of his grasp and stood up, facing the direction of the sniper shots. There was probably more than one person out there, a group looking to take out the Jedi knight before him. Then she moved.

  
Her arms, her body, her legs, every movement she made seemed to be one fluid movement. A hail of blaster bolts bared down on her but none got through the weaving shafts of lavender light of her sabers.

  
He’d seen Jedi fight, had fought along side them but this...what he was seeing now was..different somehow.

  
“Get them out of here, Theron,” she’d said to him, sounding as if she was right next to his ear. Something told him she wouldn’t stop being the “distraction” until all of the patrons were safe. He wasn’t one to risk innocent lives either...He moved quickly from the safety of the table barricade.

  
It took him about twenty minutes to get the patrons out through the back door of the Cafe. he’d put the call in right as he’d been escorting the first groups. Not a single trooper, member of security, a response team had shown up yet. Not a single one.

  
_What the kriff is going on?_ He thought as he made his back into the cafe proper. He needed to get Peytzia out of her. That sniper wasn’t going to show himself any time soon.

  
In the cafe’s main area, she was still deflecting blaster bolts, she must have sensed him because she glanced back at him, the look in her eyes was questioning.

  
He nodded somehow knowing exactly what she was asking.

  
Blasters in hand, he positioned himself to cover her.

  
Her light-sabers flashed upright as she launched herself up, into the air doing a backwards somersault, she twisted slightly in midair before sticking her landing behind the barista counter, not too far from him. He caught a glimpse of her going to her knees and leaning forward, her eyes closed as she breathed heavily.

  
Using his cybernetics, he scanned the area outside the cafe, tracing the trajectory of the incoming shots. After a couple more seconds he finally had it.

  
“I know where this guy is,” Theron said, glancing at Peytzia.

  
She was leaning heavily against the barista counter, a line of blood trailed from the wound on her montral down her lekku. Something else caught his eye.

  
Blood stained a spot on her tunic, just above her right hip.

  
“Dammit, I thought you said you were okay?” Theron asked, his heart rate was rising.

  
“It looks worse than it is,” She said, her voice calm and soothing. “Are we going to have back up anytime soon?”

  
He hadn’t received a reply just yet, no doubt the attackers had jamming equipment. “I sent the call, but I doubt if it got out.”

  
“Then we do this hard way,” she said, her voice had a tired quality to it but she was moving, making to crouch no doubt to stand up again. His cybernetics highlighted several incoming hostiles all bearing the same weapon signatures of the sniper.

  
“Negative, we get you out of here and no committee debates, if my implants are telling me the right thing, we’re about to have more company,” he said in a no-nonsense tone.

  
“I am not a committee,” she responded though whatever snark she was trying to use was covered by her exhaustion.

  
“We’re going, Peyt-”

  
Just then a white flash filled the cafe blinding him.

  
_Kriffing mercs and their flashbangs,_ he thought as he ducked behind the table he’d been using. He couldn’t see anything. The sound of running footfalls of several people echoed in the cafe. They were rushing them. Someone wanted Peytzia dead or a prisoner and he was blinded to the point he couldn’t do a damn thing about it.

  
Several blaster bolts were fired, the snap-hiss of two lightsabers sounded.

  
Then sudden silenced filled the place. He felt a tightness in his chest.

  
Hands fell on him, pulling him with a bit of effort as he was half dragged somewhere, the white which was all he could see darkened. He was then set up to lean against a solid object, sitting on the floor. He cursed himself.

  
It was quiet. A bit too quiet.

  
“Peytzia?” he chanced a call out.

  
“Shh,” came her voice right next to him. He felt her hands on him. One wrapping around his neck as the other rested on his forehead and his eyes. Her touch left him feeling dizzy. It was then he realized she was straddling him, her small body was wrapped around him. Under other circumstances, he would be more than willing for this turn of events but considering the enemies no doubt surrounding them-

  
A strange sensation washed over his face her hand was resting. It felt like cool water was running over him after a scalding hot day. The white he saw slowly vanished to be replaced with the black of his eyelids. Her hand fell away from his face. Opening his eyes, he saw a most beautiful and welcomed sight.

  
“Can you see?” she whispered. Worry etched lines around her eyes that echoed concern.

  
“Uh, yeah,” he said.

  
Her lips were just an inch or so away from his. She was still straddling him and had yet to make any move to get up. His gaze flicked to those lips, hers flicked to his.

  
The atmosphere around them was filled with unseen electricity. Relief mixed with high running emotions circled them. Each grateful for the other simply looking at them.

  
A moment of silence reigned long between them as their gazes locked before each swayed slightly closer.

  
It was all that was needed.

  
Though difficult to say who’s lips touched first, the kiss itself was magical. His hands settled on her waist, her hands settled on his shoulders. They drank each other in, tenderly and decadently, lost in the moment. They each unknowingly had the same thought. _How could something like this be so wrong when it felt so right?_


	6. Excerpt 6: A Small Smile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A stolen impulsive kiss, a moment when anxiety attacks...and Theron's comforting presence.

“I swear it won’t happen again.”

  
She’d broken the kiss first and had scrambled off of him, muttering those words in a shaky voice. Standing up, she turned to sneak over to the doorway leading into the cafe entrance.

  
“We need to leave and get back to the senate tower,” she whispered over her shoulder but not looking directly at him. She couldn’t, wouldn’t look at him, not after that wanton display of a horrible lack of self-control.

  
_By the stars, what came over me?_ Peytzia inwardly scolded herself. Her lips tingled from where his had just been. _This was against the Jedi Code, wasn’t it?_ She felt a numbness in her right montral. That graze must have done more damage than she’d thought and her right side above her hip was on fire. Whoever had attacked them had been serious in at least wounding her.

  
And yet, she’d taken the time to kiss him.

  
She’d pushed that particular memory away and turned to start making her way towards the back door of the cafe. When she heard movement behind and his footsteps softly echoing her own, she felt a sense of relief that he at least wasn’t weirded out enough to follow her out and to safety.

 

When she’d broken the kiss and nearly vaulted herself off of him, Theron really hadn’t been surprised. He’d still been marveling over how his lips tingled even after she’d crossed the room to peek into the cafe. Maybe he was still in a sense of shock over the kiss or over the ambush but, he had no reaction to her words of “I swear it won’t happen again.” At least, not yet. Getting to his feet, he watched her turn and quickly make her way through the kitchen towards the cafe’s back door.

  
She was right, they needed to get out of her before whoever attacked them showed back up. He was already creating a mental checklist to start investigating possible leads as to who those people were and why Peytzia was their target.

  
Well, he needed to find something substantial to prove she’d been the target even though he had no doubt she had been. People, even thugs, don’t randomly shoot up a cafe that just happens to have a Jedi sitting in it.

  
Theron followed her out of the backdoor. A drifting thought telling him he should probably apologize for that kiss crossed his mind. She was a Jedi and it shouldn’t have happened. He wasn’t good at that sort of thing, not with words and certainly not with...whatever it was that caused the kiss to even happen.

  
If he was honest with himself, he wasn’t really sorry about the kiss at all. Somehow, that made him feel a bit worse considering she had yet to even look at him as they rushed from the cafe to a speeder taxi.

  
The trip to the Senate Tower seemed longer than it was for both of them. Each attempting to make sense of what had just happened and trying to keep their thoughts from that rather pleasant kiss. Upon arriving at the Senate Tower, relief over getting out of the awkwardly silent taxi washed over both of them.

 

They were descended upon by journalists as well as Security. The media people circled like vultures around Peytzia who was turning more and more red as the seconds passed by. She wasn’t used to this kind of attention and vaguely wondered why Security had only been waiting for them here instead of arriving on scene at the cafe. Too many people were talking to her at once, a head ache was beginning to form in her temples and exhaustion was mere seconds away from taking over. Her side was still on fire, no doubt she’d missed a blaster bolt and it had done more than just graze her like her montral...which was still numb. Her spatial awareness was a bit off because of it and when she accidentally bumped into a loud mouth reporter while trying to walk through the throng towards the Senate Tower entrance, the reporter rounded on her.

  
“Is this how Jedi are supposed to act? Manhandling reporters?” He’d snarled at her.

  
The Jedi hadn’t prepared her for this. Dealing with the public and reporters alike was something she had yet to even deal with. The ache in her temples grew to a painful pounding and she subconsciously reached up to try and massage the ache out. This movement was apparently seen as hostile as the same reporter she’d bumped into was now shouting something obscene at her. There was simply too much going on at that moment, anxiety started to creep over her, her thoughts were a jumble in her mind. Her heart started to race and breathing was becoming difficult. She could feel herself growing light headed. She couldn’t even see how far she was from the Senate tower with all the people in front of her.

  
When a pair of hands landed on her shoulders, she almost jumped out of her skin. Glancing up with wide eyes, she caught the sight of Theron’s face, looking for all the world like he wanted to rip into each of the reporters surrounding them. Despite the frustration and irritation she felt from him, his presence and his hands on her shoulders as he made himself a sort of human shield for her brought her more comfort than repeating the Jedi Code had. With him guiding her through the throng of reporters and towards the end of the crowd, she was able to breath again.

 

All thoughts of their kiss and the awkward silence in the taxi flew out the window, when Theron saw the media vultures descend on Peytzia. The small, curvy Togruta was nearly swallowed whole by the large group of loud reporters. On instinct he started pushing through the ever growing throng to get to her. At one point, he’d caught a glimpse of her face, wide eyes and surprised filled her features before she disappeared from his view again. He pushed through more people, a few giving him an outraged “hey!” before he finally caught sight of her again. A reporter was snarling a string of awful things at her which sent Theron’s blood boiling.

  
_None of these idiots notice she’s wounded?_ He thought irritably as he moved. He caught sight of her shaky hand reaching up to her temple, a grimace crinkling her face. Her chest heaved as if she wasn’t getting enough air.

  
He was directly behind her then. Placing a hand on her shoulder he pulled her against him and started using his own body as a sort of shield against the crowd around them while he guided her through the throng. Being a couple heads taller than she was, Theron was able to navigate through the ocean of media people.

  
_Where in the void is security?_ He wondered in annoyance.

  
As if summoned by that very thought, a few security personnel finally showed up to shoo the media crowd away. A break appeared, a clear way to the senate tower.

  
He didn’t take his arm from her, however, as she was nearly clinging to him. Her hand still on her forehead. Her steps were shaky and she stumbled a few times before they made it to the Senate tower entrance.

  
“Just breath,” he said to her quietly. “Listen to my voice and just concentrate on breathing. I’ll take care of the rest.”

  
He continued speaking in a quiet low voice to her, picking random topics as he guided her to the medical suite. Before long, she was breathing fine, her hand had fallen away from her face, though her lekku still twitched no doubt from the pain of her wound, she was able to walk on her own before they entered the medical suite.

  
At which point, a couple of nurses swept her away from him. As he stood trying to wave off another nurse, he watched her being taken into another room. She’d glanced back at him over her shoulder and gave a small smile. Gratitude shown in her forest green eyes.

  
He knew her wounds weren’t life threatening and with her now in the hands of people who were trained in the medical arts, he should probably have left. Gone to security to make his statement and demand an explanation for why security was being lax on their jobs, but he didn’t. After finally letting a nurse check him over, he waited.  
For the life of him, he wasn’t sure why.


	7. Excerpt 7: Not Really Love Letters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A series of correspondence between Theron and Peytzia.

Theron had waited for her in the Senate Tower’s medical suite. When he’d finally been allowed to see her, she’d been sitting on the medical bed, buckling her belt. He’d waited in the door way feeling silly. She’d finally looked over at him. Their gazes had locked before she smiled and waved him in.

  
He couldn’t remember exactly what he had said then. Something rather lame about wanting to make sure she was okay before he had to leave. She’d chuckled and nodded affriming that she was, indeed okay. He remembered what she had said, word for word.

  
“If you hadn’t been there, I don’t think I would have made it halfway to the Senate tower,” she’d said, her eyes falling away from him as she looked down at her hand that was plucking absently at her pant leg.

  
He’d felt nervous, a bit awkward and no doubt that had led to something else lame. Why he couldn’t find decent words to say when she was around was beyond him.

  
Eventually he’d had to leave as it was either that or he’d have lost control and kissed her again. He’d kissed women before, more than a few but she was different. No one had ever left his lips tingling, no one’s mere touch left his skin tingling. It was a very pleasant sensation...but he had no idea what it mean. More accurately, he wasn’t yet willing to think about what that meant. Telling himself, he was too busy for that kind of thing.

  
Nearly six months after that kiss, the memory of it was still burned into his brain and floated to the front far more often then he cared to admit. It wasn’t long before that memory started surfacing in his dreams when he was able to sleep. Not that he was one to complain.

  
Still, he was too busy for it all.

  
Even though that never stopped him from reading her messages and replying immediately. It certainly didn’t stop him from keeping her messages archived on his private datapad.

  
He had about six to seven months worth of correspondence between them in its only little file. Not something he would normally do, and it wasn’t something he would give a second thought to, at least not for a long while yet.

  
He could still remember the surprise he’d felt when he’d received her first message just a week or so after the cafe ambush. They hadn’t spoken since he’d left the medical suite.

 

_T,_   
_I just wanted to thank you for the intel you gave me. It has helped me tremendously on this toxic planet. Obviously, I can’t go into detail but I’ll tell you if I never step foot here again I will be incredibly happy. Not very Jedi of me, I know but there it is. I hope everything is well with you._   
_Take care, P._

  
It had been short and really hadn’t necessitated a reply but he’d sent one back to her anyway.

_Hey,_   
_Good intel is always a plus on a mission. I’m glad it’s helping. I can’t blame you for not caring for the planet, I personally don’t like it either. It’ll be our little secret._   
_By the way, our team won last nights hutt ball match._   
_Take care of yourself out there._   
_T._

A few weeks passed and turned into a month before another message from her would show up again.

_Hey there,_   
_The Frogdogs winning was the best news I’ve had all month! Of course, there have been a few matches since then and I was able to get those scores from the holonet on my ship. If you wouldn’t mind keeping me updated on next week’s match, I’d appreciate it. It will be impossible for me to get them on Hoth. I’m not sure how long I’ll be here, but I won’t be able to get any messages out for awhile. Hope you’re enjoying the better climate. I’m freezing over here._   
_Take care,_   
_P._

_Hey,_   
_I take it you’re not a fan of cold climates. I’m not one for them either. I don’t mind keeping you apprised of the hutt ball matches. I’ll keep a running tally for you until you get messages again better than spamming your inbox with random numbers. Be careful on that ice-ball. I’ve heard some pretty awful reports about pirates and Imps alike._   
_Seriously, take care._   
_T._

He hadn’t expected to get another message for a while. Between his own missions and his own paperwork, finding a message waiting from her was a breath of fresh air.

_T,_   
_Yes, pirates and Imps. I’ve already figured that. Currently getting patched up from my most recent encounter with the pirates. I’m bored honestly so I thought I’d say hi. To be honest, I can’t wait to leave here and get back to Tatooine. I can handle the desert a lot better than snow and ice. Can you believe there is only one place that serves actually hot caf? It’s a travesty, I tell you._   
_I need to get going. Doc is nearly hysterical for no reason and Kira is about to punch him._   
_Take care,_   
_P._

_P,_   
_Getting patched up? Are you okay? Wait, scratch that, you wouldn’t have sent a message if you weren’t okay. Why is a doctor being hysterical over you? Usually they aren’t hysterical, not really good bedside manner. Sorry for all the questions, it’s late and I’m just...wondering. As a side note, if you’re looking for a place on Tatooine, I know of a homestead that’s been on the market for ages. It’s secluded and would be perfect for a lot of the people already there but with the sand people and everything, no one seems to want it. One of my co-workers was looking into it but they’ve decided Nar Shaddaa is better. Why, I don’t know. I can forward you the real-estate listing if you want._   
_On a serious note, be careful._   
_T._   
_PS. The attachment has the scores from the last three matches._

It was a least another month before her next message reached him.

_Hey there,_   
_First, Doc is one of my crew. He joined me after Balmorra and has been...um, lets say a bit fascinated with me? I’m not sure that’s the right word. Kira is my padawan and she really doesn’t care for him. He’s been essential to the crew however, when it comes to medical needs. Sometimes though, I wonder if he is really a doctor but he seems to know his stuff. Between you and me, he has a bit of an ego especially when it concerns any pretty face in his vicinity. I’ve found myself reciting the Jedi Code more and more often._   
_I was fine by the way. It was just a few scratches. Nothing for anyone to freak out about._   
_I didn’t think there was anything available on Tatooine. When I was there, they didn’t have much in real estate listings. Of course I didn’t really have the time to look into it. I prefer more arid climate and after this planet, Tatooine sounds most delightful. I would really appreciate if you send that listing. Thanks for the hutt ball scores. It’s a bummer the Frogdogs didn’t win that third match. At least, we’re in the lead._   
_I’m wrapping up some things here and should be leaving in a few days._   
_Take care,_   
_P_

_Hey,_   
_I’ve enclosed the Tatooine listing and the hutt ball scores for the month in the attachment to this. I checked out the place the listing mentions on the holonet, it’s cheaper than normal but...it’s a fixer upper. Not sure if you want that, but you can check it out for yourself. In regards to the scores, I think it’ll lift your spirits up a bit._   
_Kira sounds like she’s got a good head on her shoulders where this “doc” is concerned. Sounds like a Jonas, honestly. You know, I could get you a more...reputable medic. Someone who isn’t so...like him. Just say the word._   
_I wasn’t freaking out, just concerned, really._   
_I have the feeling your giving this message that “uh huh” look._   
_Take care,_   
_T._

  
Her last and final message came chiming in while he was typing up a report on his last local mission. Sitting at his desk, he keyed up the message without hesitation, leaving the report on the sidelines.

_Hey there,_   
_I’m on Tatooine and I just finished up the process in buying that homestead you found. It is a fixer upper but that’s half the fun. Thank you again for giving me the heads up about this place. It’s perfect._   
_I’m so glad our team won the season! It was touch and go there for a little while._   
_Okay, I’ve been stalling. The real reason for sending this has nothing to do with hutt ball or my new homestead. I’m not sure how this goes but..here it is._   
_I’ve been given a week of leave for reasons I can’t discuss here. If you’re in the area, though I’d like to see you again. I don’t know when I’ll be back when I leave for my next mission. I just...thought perhaps we can retry that whole caf business without an ambush this time. If you can’t make it, that’s okay. We can call it a rain check. The outer rim is a bit far from the Core Worlds I just figured I’d better give the invitation while there is still time._   
_Take care,_   
_Peytzia._

Theron reread the message several times before it dawned on him what she was asking. The memory of their kiss came to the forefront of his mind. Neither of them had mentioned it since the ambush.

That had been six months again.

  
_You’re just friends, don’t look too deep into it,_ he told himself as he started typing up a reply.

  
Two phrases she’d used popped up in his mind, pushing the memory of her lips on his aside.

  
_I don’t know when I’ll be back… and I just figured I’d better give the invitation while there is still time._

  
That sounded rather ominous in his mind. He didn’t know her missions and had never asked. He understood what classified and operational security meant.

  
But if she was asking to see him again...while there is still time...that meant she wasn’t exactly sure she’d be coming back from her next mission at all.

  
_Think I’ll take that leave time Marcus offered after the Vesla system,_ he thought as he finished his message and sent it off.

_Peytzia,_   
_Glad to hear you like the place._   
_I’ve got a few days of leave stacked up and I could use the break, honestly._   
_It would be good to see you again._   
_I’ll be there soon._   
_Theron._

With that, he finished up his report, sent it off and pushed a leave request through. It would normally take a few days for it to be processed but a direct request to his boss would do the trick.

  
He fired up his holocom as he stood up and headed to his closet.

  
Pulling out a duffle bag when Marcus answered the call.

  
“Theron, what do you need?”

  
“I think I’ll take you up on that leave time you offered after Vesla.” Theron answered as he went about packing his bag.

  
Twenty minutes later, he was locking the door to his apartment.


	8. Excerpt 8: Just a Friendly Visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theron visits Peytzia. It's just friendly, right?

Peytzia was in the process of sweeping the previous night’s collection of sand and dust from her balcony when her mail terminal beeped signifying a new message had arrived. It would wait until she finished this chore. It would probably help if she installed something to help combat the sand and dust. She’d have to go down to Anchorhead in a few hours and peruse the shops for that since she needed to go and grab things suitable to entertain people with. Like food that actually didn’t taste like nutrient paste or old ration bars. She wanted to have something good for Theron when he arrived. The very thought of him actually traveling here to visit her, at her request was...well it still had her feeling giddy and nervous.

  
She had been nearly certain he wouldn’t have been able to make the trip begging off for one reason or another. They hadn’t actually seen each other since that...kiss. They’d only sent messages back and forth with no mention of it. At first, she had almost erased the message inviting him here, thinking it was too forward, or that it would...seem too forward. After a deep breath, she’d hit send. His reply had left her speechless and she felt silly for over analyzing it all. She wasn’t sure how things would go here, once he actually arrived.

  
There were...feelings...she had for him, she knew it even if it had taken Kira practically spelling it out to her. She also knew that such things were against her Jedi teachings. Still, ever since it had happened, that kiss remained in her thoughts along with his face and voice. Something told her to move forward, that he was...right. But she had no idea if it was the Force leading her in this direction or..something else entirely.

  
Pausing in her sweeping, she glanced out over the balcony at the sunset. A kaleidoscope of purples, reds and oranges drifted in tendrils across the sky. The sight was soothing. It helped center her thoughts.

  
_The Force works in mysterious ways,_ came her old master’s voice as if it were drifting to her on the wind. _It’s fear that leads to the darkside. Fear of death, fear of love, even fear of the dark will lead one down a dangerous path._

  
She remembered Orgus Din telling her that “attachments lead to the dark side” back on Tython. That was...almost two years ago now and roughly a year since his death.

  
_The line between light and dark is not as thing as many would like to think, but balance is incredibly hard to achieve,_ his voice floated to her again.

  
Peytzia frowned. Even after he’d died at Darth Angral’s hands, Orgus had still spoken to her. His presence, his spirit living on in the Force. For some reason, he had yet to become one with the Force, to be at peace.

  
_Not so easily achieved, old friend, but I’ve learned a few things since Angral. Even in death._

  
_Is he telling me this is okay?_ She wondered and was about to voice the question when his voice floated to her again.

  
_Not my choice, it’s yours just be aware of exactly what your choice will entail either way. What we feel is right, isn’t always approved of by others._

  
Peytzia nodded and felt a slight breeze like he was leaving.

  
“Thank you, old friend,” she said. It was one thing she’d always struggled with, trying to be the best Jedi she could for the sake of the Republic. Every mistake she’d ever made weighed on her. The Jedi teachings and the Jedi Code were there to help Jedi on their journey, but it came down to the individual to make the choices in the end.

  
A chime sounded, dragging her from her thoughts. She frowned and glanced at the message terminal. It still stated she had one unread message.

  
The chime sounded again and she blinked realizing it was coming from the intercom.

  
Someone was here and she had no idea who could it be.

  
She moved across the balcony to the intercom and pressed the button.

  
“Yes?” She said.

  
“Hi...” came his voice through the intercom speaker. She smiled knowing instantly who it was.

  
“Wasn’t sure if you home,” his voice sounded tinny through the speaker.

  
“I am though you’ll have to pardon the mess, the door’s unlocked,” she said. “I’ll be down in a minute.”

  
“Okay, see you soon.”

  
She crossed the room behind the balcony that she’d made into a sort of...loft. A bedroom and common area in one with a small kitchenette towards the back. She entered the elevator and as the doors closed, she tried to curb the rising excitement mingled with nervousness she could feel in her chest. Using a Jedi breathing technique, she felt a small bit of calm by the time the elevator doors opened on the ground level.

  
They opened to reveal the back of a red and white jacket and a dark-haired head. He was looking up at the sunset as she stepped out of the elevator.

  
“Hey there,” she said with a bright smile. In truth, she was still giddy as she couldn’t believe he was actually standing in front her.

  
He turned around and met her eyes, those golden-brown orbs she’d gotten lost in back in the cafe on Coruscant. His smile crinkled the skin around the corners of his eyes.

  
“Hi,” he said.

  
On impulse, she stepped forward and put her arms around him in a welcoming embrace. She registered his surprise and was about to step back and apologize for the impulsive move but stopped when she felt his arms circle around her, tightly.

  
“I’m glad you made it, though I wasn’t expecting you for at least another day,” she said, her cheek against his chest. After another moment, she pulled away, letting the embrace end.

  
He shrugged, “I was able to catch an earlier transport. I don’t much care for waiting around terminals.”

  
She laughed, “I understand that. Would you like a tour?”

  
“After you,” he said with a grin and offered her his arm.

  
Sliding her hand through the crook of his elbow, she proceeded to lead him around the property, trying to keep them to the more lit areas as the suns fell below the horizon and the night rushed to greet them.

  
They eventually ended up on her balcony where the tour ended.

  
“It needs work,” She said, looking out at various points that were crumbling or already caved in. “Lots of work, but it’s perfect other than that.”

  
She leaned against the balcony rail.

  
“Well, I can help you get a head start on it while I’m here,” he said and he moved to stand beside her.

  
“Oh you don’t need to do that, this is a vacation after all,” she said. She could feel butterflies fluttering in her stomach at how close he was standing next to her.

  
He shrugged, “I’m a bit of a workaholic. Fixing things up won’t bother me at all.”

  
She felt his gaze on her and she turned to look at him. A cool breeze washed over them, ruffling his spiked hair slightly. She caught his gaze flick to her lips before meeting her eyes again. It was brief and could really have been a blink. There was something there. In his eyes. Something that told her that if she swayed closer to him he wouldn’t mind it.

  
“I don’t have much in the way of food,” she heard herself saying and glanced away. She started moving across the balcony and towards the loft room’s kitchenette. Too soon, she thought. Besides, he was just visiting her as a friend. By the Force, how do people do this even casually? She wondered briefly as she opened the fridge door to reveal the bare minimum of food products she had.

  
“I was planning on making a food run tomorrow morning,” she said, lamely. “I’ll have something better to eat for dinner tomorrow.”

  
His warm chuckle told her he was a few feet behind her, “I don’t mind. I brought a few snacks.”

  
She closed the fridge and turned around. Once again, she found herself wondering what to say much like she had back at the cafe.

  
“There’s a hutt ball match tonight,” Theron said, filling the silence. He glanced at his chrono. “Starts in about fifteen minutes.”

  
She smiled at him, grateful. Finding words when he was around was becoming more difficult. Perhaps watching a match would help ease her nerves.

  
Roughly fifteen minutes later, they were seated next to each other on her sofa, with a pile of his snacks between them. The hutt ball match started on the holo-terminal before them. She sat with her legs curled up beneath her. When she glanced at him from the corner of her eye, she saw him looking relaxed.

  
Her nerves started to melt away as the match played. Yet every so often, butterflies would do somersaults in her stomach whenever they reached for the snacks at the same time and their hands brushed.

  
It was a feeling she was beginning to like. She found herself looking forward to what the next few days would bring.


	9. Excerpt 9: Whatever This Is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vay-cay-shun....Something is blossoming between a sweet innocent Jedi and a snarky spy.

Theron’s eyes fluttered open and for a brief moment didn’t recognize his surroundings. There was a weight on his left shoulder and the fingers of his left hand were currently intertwined with slender magenta skinned fingers. He frowned then turned his head to see the sleeping beautiful face of Peytzia resting on his shoulder. Her head was angled slightly, tipped back so her face looked upwards at his own. His head brushed ever so lightly against her montrals, he noted that they quivered at the contact. Her lekku were draped over her shoulder and down her torso as usual but they twitched slightly every now and then.

  
He remembered where he was and who he was with. A smile spread across his face as he just looked at her, briefly glancing down at their intertwined hands before glancing back up at her sleeping face. She looked so peaceful and adorable. The white markings on her magenta toned face along with the silver-gold jewelry that adorned her head and montrals like a crown made her looked every bit like a Queen from some far off civilization.

  
On impulse, he raised his freed hand and gently started to trace the markings on her forehead, following them down and around her cheek.

  
She stirred then, but her eyes remained close. He paused, not sure if he’d woken her up or even if she would have welcomed this kind of intimate contact. Damn his self-control..

  
“You don’t have to stop,” she murmured sleepily, her eyes still shut. “It feels nice.”

  
A little inner conflict emerged within him then. Usually he’d be back-pedaling out of this situation so fast his head would be spinning but...he didn’t want to. He had absolutely no desire to leave and every desire to stay just like this, with her head on his shoulder, her hand in his and gently tracing the curves of her face.

  
He continued the light tracing until he made it to the end of her markings. As he pulled back his hand, he couldn’t help but brush her lower lip with his thumb. He caught the smile curve her lips as her forest green eyes finally fluttered open.

  
Looking into those eyes did something to him each and every time. Something good. Before he realized what he was doing, he was leaning his head down and reaching his free hand over to cup the side of her face. His lips brushed hers and a tingling sensation erupted at the contact. He kissed her then, marveling at how soft her lips were. It took him a moment to register that she was responding to him in kind. Her hand squeezed his as her free hand settled on his chest.

  
Time seemed to come to halt and stand still around them. She tasted so sweet and he deepened the kiss a little further. His fingers brushed her montrals causing her to shiver against him. It was this result that brought reality back to him. He paused, breaking the kiss but not moving away.

  
“I’m sorry,” Theron said, realizing his mistake. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

  
Her smile dazzled him for a moment.

  
“Don’t apologize,” she said quietly. “It was very sweet.” She squeezed his hand before letting go and reaching her arms over her head in a sitting stretch. She then stood up from the couch and started making her way towards the kitchenette. She did a couple more stretches on the way. One for her arms and then her legs.

  
Theron couldn’t keep his eyes off of her.

  
_By the Force, quit starring_ , he silently cursed himself, _She’ll think you’ll want something more than friendship_. He stood up from the couch, suddenly needing to move. His legs and back were sore from being in the same position.

  
It was then he realized it was mid morning. The twin suns were a good way above the horizon. It was bizarre as he rarely ever slept in, preferring work to sleep. It wasn’t like he’d been exhausted last night. They watched the hutt ball match then a few holo-fics before the next thing he knew he’d woken up with having fallen asleep on his shoulder.

  
He’d enjoyed every minute of it. Chancing a glance at her over his shoulder, he saw her pouring steaming caf into two mugs. The way the sunlight lit the colors of her skin, the magenta and the deep violet, he’d never seen anything so beautiful.

  
_Oh you’re in for it now, Theron_ , a little voice chastised him, turning his head away and stepped out onto her balcony. His...more rational and practical side often argued against anything that would lead him down any path that would mean he wasn’t alone. He often called it a byproduct of a Jedi upbringing. _You’re falling faster than a meteor. You’ve been falling ever since she first bumped into you back on Coruscant. Nearly two years ago._ Studiously ignoring his “rational” side, he did his own morning stretch and took in a breath of the Tatooine air.

  
“Do you want sugar and cream in your caf, Theron?” She asked him from the kitchenette.

  
“Black is fine,” he answered over his shoulder.

  
A few seconds later she was beside him holding a cup of hot caf out to him, he took it.

  
“Thanks,” he said with a nod to her. She smiled and sipped at her own cup.

  
Taking a sip of his caf, he felt the urge to lace his fingers through hers again. It was almost like it felt right to be here with her.

  
“I’m going out to Anchorhead in about an hour, anything in particular that you like?” She asked him as she moved over to sit on a outdoor couch on the balcony. His eyes followed her and it took him a moment to realize what she’d asked.

  
“Um...what I like?” he asked thought it was more of an echo as he tried to force himself to think.

  
Her laughter was music.

  
“What do you like to eat?” She asked, taking another sip of her caf.

  
Stars, he wanted to kiss her again.

  
“Um...” he shrugged, “Food honestly.”

  
“Well, I hope so, eating rocks and sand isn’t good for digestion,” she joked.

  
“Just get whatever you like, I’ll be fine,” he chuckled.

  
“As you wish,” she said, sipping the last of her caf. He crossed the space between them to join her.

  
An hour later she was off to Anchorhead and Theron hopped in the fresher.

 

By the time she’d returned again, he’d been busy clearing out the rubble around one of the moisture vaporators. Even though it was one of four and the other three were working fine, water was a luxury in the deep desert and having all four vaporators might be needed one day. Peytzia was surprised to see him working so hard and then reminded herself that he had claimed a few times to be a workaholic. Of course, the closer she got to the door the closer she got to him. Seeing him shirtless had her captivated. She nearly dropped on of the bags of groceries. He was tanned with a lean build under that red and white jacket of his.

  
She caught herself staring at the way his muscles bunched and moved under the skin of his back.

  
Just in time too because Theron had caught sight of her and turned around.

  
“Hi,” he said.

  
“Uh, hi,” was the only response she had. _Stop staring, Peytzia!_ She silently scolded herself and forced her legs to keep moving.

  
“Need any help?” Theron asked.

  
“No, I’m fine, thank you,” she said, moving to the elevator. She kept her eyes away from him as the elevator doors opened. As she stepped in, she caught one more glance of him and had to smile. She blushed when she saw him smile back, with a hint of mischievousness. A lick of heat flared as the doors closed.

  
Whatever this was, she was quickly finding out she had no idea how to navigate it. But that made it all the better.


	10. Excerpt 10: Giving In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theron and Peytzia give into what they are feeling for each other for the first time. Before fate would force them apart for a long time.

The last few days had been lovely, relaxing yet a bit tense at the same time. The days were usually filled with laughter and chores around the homestead as he helped her get a start on fixing things up.

The evenings were filled with home-made dinners and holo-vids or a hutt ball match. The nights were filled with occasional flirting to wake up in the mornings and find she’d again fallen asleep on his shoulder. All the while brushes of hands, or fingers, moments of being awed by the other. They caught each other watching the other only to look away.

  
Four days passed and she found herself again waking up next to him on the sofa. This time was a bit different, instead of one hand in his and her head on his shoulder, his arm was wrapped around her, his head gently leaned against her own, one of her hands was resting on his chest. He stirred awake when she shifted slightly.

  
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” she apologized in a hushed whisper. He only smiled and dropped a sleepy kiss on her forehead.

  
“Don’t worry about it,” he said, sounding groggy. His arm tightened around her snugly as his other arm joined in to wrap around her. She felt like she was in a cocoon, like she was safe and warm against him. Snuggling up closer to him, she rested her head back on his chest.

  
They fell back asleep seconds later.

  
When she next woke up, the light from Tatooine’s twin suns sparkled through the curtained entry of the balcony. Theron’s arms had fallen from where they had once rested on her back and his head was lolled back resting on the back of the sofa. Quietly and slowly, she slipped from his side and off the couch.

  
After tip toeing over to her bed, which had remained made for the last four days as they had taken to falling asleep on the sofa together, she pulled on a light robe and moved towards the kitchenette.

With a steaming hot cup of caf that held sugar and cream, she quietly walked passed Theron, who continued sleeping on her sofa. She paused and looked at him, a smile curving her lips. If only they could have more than just this week, the next day and this tentative dance between them. Absently, she lightly brushed the back of her hand across his cheek. His eyelids twitched but he didn’t wake.

  
Dropping a light kiss on his forehead, she moved away and stepped onto the balcony. The bright mid-morning sun was warm against her skin despite the lingering cold breeze from the night’s drop in temperature. She crossed the balcony to the outdoor sitting area and sat down, curling her legs underneath her. Gazing off into the distance, she sipped at her caf as her thoughts turned towards the coming days.

  
This visit was coming to an end and soon she would be on her way to the Sith Emperor’s hidden fortress where she and the rest of Master Braga’s Jedi Strike Team would break in and capture the Emperor. The plan had been finalized before they’d been given a week to prepare and set affairs in order. This wasn’t going to be a simple mission, in fact the likelihood of their survival wasn’t that good. She wasn’t exactly at peace with that. It wasn’t that death scared her, she knew there was only the Force. She wasn’t at peace with possibly never coming back from the Emperor’s fortress because of the man sound asleep on her couch. Ever since they’d first met, he’d stayed with her thoughts. Their little messages to each other, their rendezvous at the cafe, even the kiss after the surprise ambush. Every moment from his arrival here to now, every chaste kiss, every moment of eye contact, it only proved to her that she wasn’t just another “master jedi” but a person. With him, she could be herself and not just her title.

  
She wanted to come back from this dangerous mission, of course, but he added to that. She wanted to come back home, come back to him.

  
A frown creased her brow as she sipped more of her caf. There wasn’t a “them” or “us” or whatever, was there? She had no idea how he felt, then again, she hadn’t spoken of her mission nor her growing feelings for him.

  
“Beautiful ladies shouldn’t frown,” his voice drifted to her on the breeze. She glanced over to see him leaning against the door way, his arms crossed over his chest. The grey long-sleeved undershirt he wore with simple black slacks and the messy bed-head only enhanced his looks. He wore a lazy but charming smile.

  
She smiled back, tilting her head at him saying, “Better?”

  
He chuckled as he straightened up from his leaned position and walked across the balcony.

  
“Maybe, if you’d tell me what had you frowning,” he asked, the smile and twinkle in his eyes told her it was meant as a disarming question, he wouldn’t push if she declined to tell him but in the force, she could sense he genuinely wanted to know.

  
She really shouldn’t divulge any details but...she wanted someone, specifically him, to know in case she didn’t make it back.

  
He sat down on the sofa across from her and waited. She took in a deep breath and took another sip of her caf before meeting his eyes.

  
“When I asked you to come, I told you I had a week then I’d be leaving for a mission,” she said it as a statement. He nodded.

  
“Yeah, you said you didn’t know when you’d be back,” he said, his voice had lowered, turning serious.

  
“I...I don’t,” she said, starting to hesitate. _Why is this hard?_ “I actually don’t know if I’ll be coming back at all.”

  
He was silent for a moment then leaned forward resting his forearms on his legs. “I gathered that much from you message, Peytzia.” His golden-brown eyes never wavered from hers. In fact, she felt like they were an anchor for her to hold on to.

  
“We’re going against the Emperor himself,” she said, quietly. “The plan is to capture him, defeat him. I...um...” She faltered then. Her courage seemed to fail her then. Theron needed to know so that should the worse come to pass for her…

  
_Does he need to know? Or do you need him to know?_ Her conscience asked. She frowned inwardly at the question. _He’d go on just fine thinking you were friends should the worst happen, but are your feelings for him, really something he needs to know?_

  
When his hands wrapped around hers, she blinked in surprise to find him crouch-knelt in front of her, looking up at her and searching her face.

  
“Look,” he started, his thumb gently rubbing over her knuckles, “I don’t know what..this..is between you and me. I don’t know what could happen tomorrow or the next day...My job with the SIS, yours as a Jedi, it’s all dangerous.” He paused for a moment before continuing. “But being with you, that’s something that’s brought a lot of thing into perspective for me. I...I don’t know the words to tell you...” His head dropped for a second before he met her gaze again. Peytzia found herself holding her breath just as she held on to his hands.

  
“Words...are hard sometimes,” she said, “I don’t know what this is either but I do know I want to come back to it, to you.” They were looking into each other’s eyes then. Peytzia had a million things running through her mind nearly all of them centered around him.

  
“I want to come back to you too,” he finally said and raised his head just enough to capture her lips in a kiss. One of her hands slid from his and up his chest to her shoulder then slid around to the back of his neck. His own hands shifted as he wrapped both arms around her, leaving her other arm to slip up and around his other shoulder. The kiss deepened and turned into something more than just tension, much more than just unspoken feelings.

  
Passion ignited in both them. It was an all consuming fire as they came together and showed each other what they could not say in words. They flew above the very stars together that day, wrapped up in each other. What had started as a small connection had now become a full fledged bond though neither of them would ever speak on it. They made love for the first time, each wondering though not wanting to believe it might just be the last.


	11. Excerpt 11: Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 6 months have passed and no contact from Peytzia..until Theron finds out via Kira that she's returned from facing the Sith Emperor.

Six months and two weeks.

  
That was how long it had been since Theron had last seen her. They’d spent those last two nights of her leave and his together, wrapped up in each other. Those memories of those nights stayed with him, she remained in his thoughts daily. Six months yesterday had been the last he’d heard from her. She’d sent him one message. He’d read it so often since then, he’d had it committed to memory.

_Theron,_   
_I wanted to send something meaningful and heartfelt but...words don’t appear to be my strong suit. I don’t know when I’ll be back. I wanted to tell you that I will cherish those last nights we had together. I don’t know how you feel or felt about them but for me, they were wonderful. You’re a very good man and I’m very glad and proud to know you. I don’t know if whatever this is between us will last, but I’m glad it has happened._   
_I won’t keep you long, you’re just as busy as I am._   
_Just please remember to smile every now and then._   
_Yours, Peytzia._

There was a chance she wouldn’t come back, he knew that. They’d never actually spoken the words but he wasn’t stupid. They both had very dangerous jobs. She’d mentioned a mission to capture the Emperor. If that sith was indeed the same Emperor from a millenia ago, there was no telling if she and whoever else was with her would succeed.

  
Six months later and there was no ripple of the Emperor being dead. No word about Peytzia or the team she’d gone with. Being an SIS agent, one of the best, He’d have heard something about both by now.

  
Only strange rumors that a few Jedi had fallen to the Dark Side, become Sith had graced his ears.

  
He hoped every day she wasn’t one of them.

  
Six months and two weeks had passed since she’d left. Theron had taken it upon himself to visit her homestead and check it for anyone stupid enough to think of robbing her or taking it for themselves. He’d spend a few days there, fixing up a few things here and there.

  
There was a chance she wouldn’t come back at all.

  
But he kept the hope that she would.

  
On a rare occasion, he would read through their old correspondence. Usually, while he sat on her balcony as the twin suns of Tatooine would set. On rare occasions, he would read them while laying on his own bed in his Coruscant apartment. More than, once he wondered if perhaps he’d missed his chance.

  
His chance at what, exactly, he had yet to figure out. Or perhaps it was more, he wasn’t yet ready to admit it to himself.

  
Theron was seated on the edge of his bed. His jacket off and slung haphazardly across the end of the bed. He was pulling his shirt up and over his head when he heard the chime of an incoming message. Both dread and excitement coursed through him. On the one hand, he’d been waiting for a message from Peytzia for months, anything that told him she was alive. One the other hand, he was dreading to find out that it was a message saying anything but.

  
Usually, it turned out to be nothing to do with her and for a while he’d feel relieved.

  
He pulled his shirt back down and moved towards his desk. He didn’t recognize the holonet frequency the message had come from and was about to delete it but something stopped him. Checking the subject line, he frowned.

  
_Don’t Delete this, T. Please read._

  
He sat down and opened the message.

_Agent Shan,_   
_You don’t know me, not formally anyway, but I’m Kira, a friend and crew member of Peytzia._   
_I’m sending this from my holonet frequency to let you know she’s alive. I don’t know what or if she told you anything about our last mission but...I will say it didn’t go according to plan at all. Anyway, she’s alive and back in Republic space. She’s in the medical suites of the Senate Tower on Coruscant. I don’t know the extent of your relationship with her but I do know you mean a lot to her. Call it a Jedi’s intuition, that and I have a knack for knowing this kind of thing. If you’re not busy and you’re reading this, please give her a visit. What she went through was...horrible._   
_She needs you._   
_Kira Carsen._

Theron had barely read the signature before he was throwing on his jacket and pulling his boots back on. He was out the door before he realized his heart was pounding in his chest. She was in the medical suites, here on Coruscant. There had been no indication of her condition in the message. He rushed and at one point he’d had to force himself to stop running. He’d arrived at the Senate Tower in record time and was vaguely aware he’d been lucky not have been stopped and ticketed by Coruscant Security. He walked quickly through the corridors, easily dodging passerby. It was night time on Coruscant and there weren’t too many people in the Senate Tower, but enough to ensure this place never slept.

  
When he reached the medical suites, he asked stopped an on duty nurse.

  
“Excuse me, could you direct me to Peytzia’s room?” He’d asked. Fully aware that he’d used her first name and not her title. The nurse looked at him in a funny way for a moment before pointing to the room across the corridor.

  
“Thanks,” he said and turned away. Crossing the corridor, he paused in the door way to the room. It was dark. She was probably resting. He could see a form laying in the medical bed but he couldn’t discern any detail. Perhaps it was best if he came back in the morning.

  
Leaving felt like a horrible idea, what if she disappeared again?

  
“Theron?” Came her voice, sounding groggy and hoarse. He heard her shift on the bed.

  
“Uh, yeah. Hi,” he said, lamely, still standing in the doorway.

  
“Hi,” she said, he could hear the smile in her voice. “You can come in.”

  
The lights flickered on then, and his eyes caught sight of her beautiful face. She was pushing herself up to a sitting position when he stepped in the room. He saw a few machines attached to her. The standard medical amenities and nothing serious in the way of life support. His heart eased in it’s pounding. Stepping up to her bed side, he looked at her. She was bruised in a few places on her arms and he spotted one dark bruise just under her collarbone. Seeing her like this was painful and yet at the same time, he was filled with relief that she was alive and right there in front of his eyes.

  
“I...uh, got a message from one of your crew members saying you were here,” he said, his voice was slightly gruff. She had a black eye, but it seemed to have been a bit old. Healing.

  
She chuckled, “Kira, I bet.” She patted the side of the bed.

  
“You don’t have to stand,” she said. He gave her a lopsided smirk and sat on the edge of her bed. There was something different about her. Her eyes held a haunted look to them. The same one he often saw looking back at him whenever he glanced in a mirror. Placing his hand over hers, he said the only thing he could think of.

  
“You okay?” he asked.

  
The question was all it took for her forest green eyes to shine with tears. He instantly regretted asking such an insensitive question.

  
_You are really horrible at this_ , he thought to himself.

  
“I...I will be,” she said, and shifted her hand under his to give him a reassuring squeeze. The small gesture was enough to tell him the same compassionate woman he’d first met in this very same Senate tower and spent a week with on Tatooine was still there. Whatever she had gone through hadn’t changed that core part of her.

  
“If you want to talk, If you ever want to talk, I’m here,” he said seriously.

  
She was blinking away her tears and nodded, squeezing his hand again in a silent thank you.

  
“I’ll give you a rain check on that for tonight” she said, her voice sounding small, “but thank you for coming.”

  
“Don’t mention it,” he said. It was his turn to give her a reassuring squeeze.

  
“Would you...um...Would you stay with me for a little while?” She asked.

  
He gave her a smile and nodded, “Wouldn’t dream of leaving just yet.”

  
They sat there for a few more hours, hand in hand. He gave her the last six months of hutt ball scores. Eventually her exhaustion seemed to win out and she was soon fast asleep. Theron had no desire to leave after that. He stood up from the bed and stretched before pulling over a chair.

  
He noticed as he sat down that her sleep was far from peaceful. She twitched and whimpered slightly. His heart felt heavy at the sight of it and he picked up her hand again. Gently rubbing his thumb over her knuckles, he noticed that she quieted and her face smoothed out.

  
It was sobering to see a strong and powerful Jedi laid up in a medical bed with nightmares. It was sad and worrying to see her, in the same state.

  
An hour before dawn, he woke up to her having his hand in a near death grip.

  
“Ow,” he murmured. Looking up at her, he saw her turning her head this way and that. Her lekku and montrals shivering and twitching in agitation. Her eyes were closed and her face was contorted in pain. Silent tears had streamed down her cheeks.

  
He stood up and squeezed her hand while placing his free hand the side of her face.

  
“Hey, it’s me,” he whispered to her, wiping away the tears. “You’re safe now. It’s okay.”

  
A few seconds later and her eyes snapped open as she sat up suddenly. Her eyes were a blaze with pain and terror.

  
“No,” she whispered, her voice was terrified and small. Her hand on his tightened. “No, not him,” she said in a voice just below a whisper.

  
“Peytzia,” he said, his voice calm. He squeezed her hand again.

  
Recognition dawned in her eyes and she blinked at him for a moment. Her grip slackened and she pulled her hand away from his. Looking around, she took in a shaky breath.

  
“I’m sorry,” she said in that same small voice. “I’m sorry, Theron.”

  
“You don’t have to apologize, not to me,” he said, sitting back down. “It was nightmare and it’s over now.”

  
She glanced at him briefly before looking away again. That haunted look was back.

  
“Hey,” he said, reaching over, placing his hand under her chin and gently turned her head to look at him, she didn’t offer any resistance. When their gazes were locked, he spoke.

  
“It’s okay. Like I said, if you need me, I’m here.”

  
A few fresh tears fell down her cheeks and she nodded.

  
“Thank you, Theron. You don’t know how much that means to me.”


	12. Excerpt 12: Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peytzia returns to her homestead after healing from her injuries she sustained from the face off with the Sith Emperor. She returns to find a very pleasant surprise.

Peytzia felt she’d spent an unnecessary amount of time hold up in the state-of-the-art medical suites on Coruscant. The Jedi Council, GrandMaster Satele especially, had ordered it. She’d been gone for just over six months under the Emperor’s control and influence. She trusted the Grandmaster’s counsel of course, but being stuck in a bed with people coming in and out to poke and prod her drove her stir crazy. They had found a few internal injuries both new and old, evidence of battle as well as torture. None of that had surprised her, the Sith were not known for their ‘gentle’ nature.

  
She spent the days in the medical suite meditating and reading, or discussing mundane things with a few members of her crew that had been permitted to walk around, which was pretty much everyone save herself. The very fact that they were all up and walking around with only lingering minor injuries was something she was very grateful for. Even the newest addition of her crew, the Lord Scourge, the very recent Emperor’s Wrath, stopped by to talk with her, under guard of course from Master Satele’s orders.

  
The nights in the medical suite was an entirely different story. The very first night in the suite, she’d been alone and in her sleep the nightmares started. Things that she hadn’t been able to remember since breaking the Emperor’s mind control through the help of her late-master were beginning to surface. At night, in the midst of slumber the more horrific memories came at her in full force. The second night in the suite, she’d stayed awake through sheer will. It was that following morning that she had confided in Kira about the nightmares.

  
Kira had made some slightly sarcastic joke and succeeded in getting a chuckle from Peytzia before patting her hand and giving a wink.

  
“I know just the thing that will cheer you up,” Kira had said sounding a bit mysterious. “Just give it a few hours.” With that she’d scampered off.

  
A few hours later, Peytzia had lost her fight against sleep when Theron had shown up.

  
She’d felt his presence through the Force. Even in her sleep, he was like a beacon and she’d latched on to him. It had been so long since she’d last felt him. Feeling his worry and underlying fear for her had proven it wasn’t simply a dream of longing. She’d woken up to see his silhouette in the doorway.

  
Then she had heard his voice, like sweet music to her.

  
He’d stayed with her then, even driving away a few of the nightmares with just his touch.

  
For the following four nights he visited and stayed with her, waving off her concerns when it came to his own sleep.

  
Something eventually came up for him. He was only able to tell her that he would be gone, off planet, for a few days. She told herself that it was probably nothing else but SIS business but there was a sliver of doubt even when he brushed his lips against hers before leaving.

  
Sleep that night had been difficult, but she had been released the following afternoon. It was only a matter of hours before she was on her ship and heading home to Tatooine.

  
Peytzia wanted to go home, to find her inner peace again amidst the last place she’d been with Theron before her mission, the last time she’d actually felt peace.

 

The hot Tatooine wind blew over her skin as she speed away from Anchorhead over the sands on her speeder. The Twin suns were just shy of touching the horizon. There was something calming in the drive home. Roughly thirty minutes later, she was parking her speeder and turning to take in her home. Something was different. Actually many things were different. She frowned, momentarily wondering if she’d made a wrong turn somewhere.

  
Looking around, she caught sight of several repairs that had been made. Repairs she had planned one making but had no recollection of making before leaving on the failed mission to capture the Emperor. Then her eyes landed on a shirtless man with spiky dark-hair. She would recognized that physique anywhere. Theron was across the property from her, working on one of the smaller huts of the complex that had long been caved in. From what she remembered that particular section had looked like, he was nearly finished in removing the rubble.

  
There was no keeping her tears back as the full realization of what he’d been doing during the last six months hit her. Her drifted to her mouth, covering it as she started moving towards him.

  
He’d taken Force knows how many days to come and take care of her home. Even knowing that there had been a high chance she wouldn’t come back. The idea, the thought that he cared enough for her to do all of this while she’d been gone washed away all doubt she’d felt since he’d left Coruscant only days ago. It was more profound than any sweet gesture she could think of.

  
No one had ever just done something on any scale for her before.

  
Peytzia was half-way across the property when he caught sight of her. She watched through blurry eyes as he placed a large piece of wall rubble down before he started walking towards her. He pulled a piece of fabric from his back pocket and wiped at his face before tossing it aside.

  
When they were but a few feet away from one another, she launched herself at him. There was a muffled sound of surprise from him as he caught her, his strong arms automatically closing around her shoulders as she locked hers around his torso.

  
“Well hey,” he said with a chuckle, planting a kiss on the top of her head between her montrals.

  
“Hi...” she said, her voice sounded strange being choked with emotion. She felt his alarm but gave him a reassuring squeeze as she buried her face in his bare chest. He smelled wonderful, manly musk mixed with spice and an underlying hint that was completely and uniquely Theron.

  
“What’s wrong?” He asked.

  
“N..Nothing is wrong,” she managed to get out before looking up at him with a teary smile. “I just didn’t expect you to do all of this while I was gone.”

  
A lopsided smirk appeared on his face and he lifted a hand to wipe away the tears from her eyes before tightening his arms around her. “Felt like the right thing to do.”

  
Impulsively, she pushed up on her tip toes and brushed her lips against his chin. His smirk became a full smile as he dipped his head to capture her lips with his own. It was a long gentle kiss, as if they were each relearning the other. He tasted like salt and refreshing cool water. She felt his fingers spread out along her back as she melted into him. His tongue gently probed her lips and she parted them willingly. She shivered against him at the touch of his tongue on hers. A slight low moan from him sent a lick of heat through her. One of his hands had moved up her back brushing her back lekku causing a pleasant shiver to run up her spine. His other hand traveled down her back, tracing her spine sending shiver after shiver in his wake before finally her rear where he gently squeezed. At the same time, his lips had left hers and his tongue was tracing lightly along her jawline to her neck leaving behind a sweet tingling sensation. One of her hands and speared into his hair as her head rolled to the side. A moan slipping from her as her knees went weak. His arms kept her steady and against him.

  
Theron spoke in a gruff whisper between peppered kisses along her neck and her left lekku.

  
“We might need to move somewhere more...comfortable if this goes any further.”

  
She smiled as she ran her free hand up his shoulder and lightly traced a circle on the back of his neck.

  
“I wouldn’t mind,” her voice had turned sultry. Even the little sound of surprise was sultry as he shifted his hands and effortlessly lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and proceeded to lay kisses down along his chin, his jaw and his shoulders. He’d already started walking and she felt him stumble a few times. She only giggled as they entered the elevator. His response was to growl sensually and squeeze her bottom.

  
A few moments later, they were in her loft. She was so consumed in his scent and the taste of him that she didn’t notice the added things to the loft. Lip-locked, she was aware of being gently laid down on the bed, her back against several pillows and the silky feel of her sheets. He was over her, most of his weight braced on on an elbow. Her legs remained wrapped around his waist. She felt one of his hands, slightly rough, slip under her pale tunic. Her hands were traveling over his shoulders, his arms, taking in the feel of his muscles and the way they seemed to tense then relax at her touch. Their tongues swirled around each other before he broke off the kiss to trail kisses down her left lekku. She shuddered at the touches while his hand moved higher under her tunic towards her left breast.

  
He squeezed gently, brushing the pad of his thumb against her nipple, forming it into a tight bud while eliciting a moan from her. She just wanted to relish in the feel of his skin against hers, his lips on hers...Everything that he was doing that was driving her crazy.

  
He shifted then, slipping down her body as he pushed up her tunic to expose her breasts. He circled one nipple with the tip of his tongue while massaging the other. Sweet sensations rippled through her as a sweet pressure started to build within. His warm mouth enclosed around the tight bud and she arched against him with a gasp. Her fingers spearing into his hair as he suckled then moved to bestow the same tender ministrations to her other breast.

  
“Oh, Theron,” she breathed as she tilted her hips and rocked against him. His answering groan stroked the fire before he raised his head and his hands started tugging at the waistband of her pants. Her own hands wandered over his torso to his navel.

  
Within seconds, their clothes lay scattered on the floor around the bed.

  
A deep and passionate kiss happened as he rubbed his hard length against her. Muffled moans and groans were swallowed. Her hand slid around his torso, her nails biting into his skin as she arched under him, the kiss broken with gasps of pleasure as he slowly slid into her.

  
“Ohhh...” she whispered and clenched around him. He groaned and buried his face in her neck. Every sound he mad, from low growly groans to breathless moans as he started to move within her only heightened every sensation rippling through her. She could feel his own passion, his own feelings and pleasure through the Force.

  
As every thrust with from slow and long to deep and quick, her senses seemed to meld with his, as if they were coming together as one. They were riding the stars as one single entity before a final thrust sent them shuddering together over the edge.

  
Peytzia said his name in a breathless whisper as she tightened around him in her climax and she heard her name fall from his lips in a low moan as he reached his. He was still above her, his arms trembling before he kissed her passionately.

  
When he rolled over to his side, he pulled her back against him, her back to his chest, she sighed against him.

  
A kiss on her cheek had her smiling.

  
“Welcome Home,” he whispered to her as he dropped another kiss on her right montral. She snuggled closer to him.

  
It may not exactly be peace that she felt right then, wrapped in his arms in the wake of love-making, but she wanted this and perhaps that was more than enough.


	13. Excerpt 13: Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peytzia's memories of her time under the Emperor's thrall surface in her dreams, Theron is there to keep them at bay.

_Everything was hazy, distorted somehow. A purple smoke-like haze filled the outside of her vision. Where was she? Looking around she could make out obvious Imperial designs, sleek and harsh._   
_The Emperor’s Fortress._

  
_Panic threatened to rise up and engulf her. How did she get back here? What happened?_

  
_“This isn’t you!” Kira’s voice, shaky with tears and pain had her turning around to see her former padawan strapped to a torture table. Bruises and lacerations littered her skin. The terror and sadness in her eyes made Peytzia want to take a step back, to flee. Only she couldn’t, she couldn’t do anything. Instead her feet moved forward of their own accord and her hand reached out while her voice spoke harsh words she would never have uttered under her own volition._

  
_“Shut up, worm, pleading and whining will not save you,” she’d said as lightning flashed from her fingertips to dance up Kira’s body. Kira jerked and screamed._

  
_NO! Peytzia screamed inwardly as she heard the sound of her own laughter._

 

She jerked awake finding herself sitting upright in her bed. Her heart racing in her chest as a cold sweat broke out over her. Shivering, she wrenched the covers away from her and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Leaning forward with her elbows on her knees she dropped her head into her hands. That wasn’t just a nightmare, that was a memory. A horrible memory from when she was under the Emperor’s control. She’d thought she wouldn’t remember what had happened, like a black out but it seemed those memories were starting to resurface.

  
Once her heart was calmed enough, she ran her hands down her face and stood up from the bed. A cold night breeze drifted in and across her body making her aware that she was stark naked. She shivered again and reached for her light robe. With it pulled over her and her arms crossed over her chest against the chill she moved across the room, silently and stepped out onto the balcony. Several emotions were crashing around within her at once. Horror at what she had done, terror at the thought that the Emperor could control someone’s mind so completely, shame that she had been powerless to stop it, powerless to break free sooner, guilt and despair at what terrible things she had inflicted on others especially her own crew.

  
It didn’t matter in that moment that her dead Master had appeared and helped her break free, that his parting words had included “It’s not your fault.”

  
How could it not be? She wondered as a tear fell down her cheek. She had not been in control of her actions this was true, but it had still been her. She was the one people saw as lightning spewed from her fingertips. She was the one her crew had seen with uncaring eyes and cruel laughter. How could anyone not blame her?

  
A chill breeze blew through the balcony and on it was a familiar scent.

  
“Hey,” came Theron’s voice. She took in a steadying breath and hastily wiped away her tears as she felt him cross the balcony towards her.

  
“You okay?” he asked, his voice soft. Feeling his concern for her in the Force only shamed her more. Would he still care if he knew the horror’s she’d inflicted? Doubt and grief warred in her mind and she was only able to nod, taking care not to look at him and see her tears.

  
His hands found her shoulders and his fingers worked a gentle massage. He didn’t press her with questions then and somehow, that in and of itself was a comfort. Some of the tension she’d held melted away under his fingertips and when the massage was down, those same strong and slightly rough hands slid around her waist to hold her against him.

  
She felt him drop a small but tender kiss on to top of her head between her montrals and despite her current emotional state, she leaned back into him.

  
The tears were gone but the shame, guilt and pain remained.

  
“I’m sorry if I woke you,” she said, her voice small.

  
“Don’t be.”

  
They stood there in silence for a long moment before another breeze drifted by causing her to shiver again.

  
“You’re cold, here,” Theron said and his arms left her. A moment later a warm weight settled on her shoulders. She glanced down to see the red and white colors of his jacket. It smelled strongly of him, his very presence seemed to permeate it. Feeling like she was being wrapped a warm cocoon, she turned and looked at him.

  
“You needn’t,” she said. She didn’t deserve such tender mercies and she was about to voice such when his hand gently caught her chin and nudge her head up slightly.

  
“Look, I know what you went through on the Emperor’s fortress,” he said, understanding. “I’ve seen a lot of horrible things in my life, but I’ve also seen a lot of good. No matter what happened, you’re one of those good things.” He dipped his head, brushing his lips against hers affectionately. “You might not see it right now, but you’re still the same compassionate woman I met two years ago.”

  
The words were sincere, she could feel his sincerity, the truth in what he said but doubt roared in her mind.

  
“I tortured my own crew, Theron,” she said, broken. “It was me physically, I couldn’t stop it.”

  
“Peytzia, I won’t pretend to know the ins and outs of how the Force works, dark side or light side,” he said, wrapping his arms around her. “But I know you and I know that the Emperor is...he’s not human...if he ever was, he’s not Togruta, Twi’lek, anything. He’s evil incarnate and the fact that you survived and you’re here now. Still caring and sweet, you’re still you even if you’ve got a few more scars to bear.”

  
It was clear to her then that he held no judgment on her.

  
“I’m...not all that good at this,” he said, his own insecurity showing through. “But...you’re still Peytzia to me and right now that’s all that matters.”

  
She leaned up and kissed him while wrapping her arms around him.

  
“Thank you,” she whispered, “Thank you for being here and...for the jacket.”

  
She heard the smile in his voice, “It looks good on you.”


	14. Excerpt 14: Just Little Love Notes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sweet Fluffy correspondence between Theron and Peytzia

A week and a few days change in regards to recuperation in regards to what she had been through didn’t seem like enough in Theron’s mind. Perhaps it was bias talking but six months and two weeks of no word of her well being, of whether she had even been alive, well, he’d much rather not live through that again. He knew he cared for her, finally admitting that much to himself when he finally laid eyes on her in the Medical suite. He hadn’t realized how much he cared for her...how strong his feelings seemed to be until Peytzia got the holo from the Jedi Council cutting her recuperation short. A week and a few days change would have been better than three days and a hand full of hours.

  
Watching her ship fly off had left a...pang in his chest, an ache. He wasn’t willing to admit what that meant. He’d felt loss, losing Master Zho had affected him but she’d been there, a stranger at the time.

  
He was in deep and he wasn’t yet ready to face just how deep but the relief he felt when he received her first message after that brief respite on Tatooine.. Well, it was palpable, tangible even.

 

_Theron,_   
_I know you’re worried though I also know you won’t admit it. Just writing to let you know I am okay._   
_I don’t know how much time I’ll have in the future to send messages like this, but I will try. I’m not exactly sure what else to say or even what is okay to say but, I hope you’re doing well. Kira and Doc are at it again so I need to go. I’ll write you again soon, okay?_   
_Stay safe,_   
_Peytzia._

He’d keyed his own response in near record time.

_Peytzia,_   
_Worry? From me? Okay, you’re right. I am worried. I’m worried about a lot of different things and you are certainly one of them. I’m not good at this, you know that. Dangerous jobs and all that aside, just...be careful out there. These little messages do a lot, I won’t lie but I get it if you can’t send one out. I’m going to be out of touch myself for a little while but my astromech, T3 will keep the messages for me so I’ll get them when I get back._   
_Be careful, please._   
_Theron._

It would be a month later and two important SIS missions later that Theron would finally be able to check his messages.

_Theron,_   
_Looks like it’s my turn to keep you updated on the Frogdogs huttball matches. We lost the first match this season by 3 points but we won the last two by 4 to 0 and 4 3 to 1. It might seem a bit silly to be updating you about Hutt ball matches when it seems like the galaxy is falling apart but...I have a new found appreciation for the little things. From a cup of caf in the morning to hutt ball scores...to holding on to hope that I’ll get to see you again. With that being said, Stay safe out there._   
_Peytzia._

_Theron,_   
_Frogdogs are doing very well so far since my last message, we won the last three matches. I hope you’re doing all right. Your little astromech keeps updating me that you’re alive and even that’s good to hear. T3 and T7 would probably get along ridiculously well, I think. I’ll keep sending these when I can, maybe they will get a smile and help you relax a bit, I don’t know. Regardless, I just want you to know that I’ll be here, waiting, for your messages, to see you smile again._   
_Stay safe._   
_Peytzia._

_Theron,_   
_There’s only been one match since my last message but unfortunately we lost that one by 4 points. We’ll get it next time. In other news, I’m coming to terms with...what happened to me during those six months. It’s given me a different perspective on life in general and also certain other things. I doubt the council would even approve of some of these...perspectives but that’s a discussion for another time. I feel we’re coming close to the end for the Emperor. I can’t say more for obvious reasons. Don’t worry though, not about me and don’t frown at that, I mean it._   
_Stay safe,_   
_Peytzia._

The last message had been dated two weeks before he’d returned. Not unusual, her messages usually come once to twice within four weeks. Yet, just the very hint that she’d be going up against the Emperor again made a knot form in his chest. He tried to relax while keying up his response.

_Peytzia,_   
_Thanks for the hutt ball scores. Mentioning the Emperor and then telling me not to worry is like telling Tatooine not to be so hot, or grow an ocean. Not happening. It’s in my nature. I don’t have the Force to give me little insights so, worrying keeps me on my toes. Comes with the territory. I’ve got details on what’s going on with Corellia, I also happen to know that it’s bad and that a certain passionate Jedi happens to be in charge. I’m good at what I do if that clears up any questions. Just..be careful and when it’s all said and done, I’ll be here._   
_Theron._

He didn’t receive a response after that. It would be three weeks from sending his last message that Theron heard word that the Sith Emperor had been defeated. As big as that was, his main concern was whether the Jedi who had defeated him in one-on-one combat had made it out of Drommund Kaas alive.

  
Two days later he had his answer when a mysterious holo was dropped off at his apartment depicting an award ceremony with the Supreme Chancellor and his own mother, Grandmaster Satele Shan, bestowing the Republic’s highest honor upon a certain lovely Togruta and her crew. A smile formed on his face when he noticed that even in a holo, Peytzia wasn’t at all okay with that much attention.

He breathed in relief, not even remotely concerned over who the mysterious courier could have been. All that mattered to him in that moment, watching the holo was that she was alive.

It would be twenty or so hours later when he’d find her standing on his doorstep.


	15. Excerpt 15: Saying It Best By Saying Nothing At All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peytzia shows up on Theron's doorstep, silent. Sometimes words are not necessary.

The door chimed. He’d frowned at the sound. He rarely got visitors, if at all. That was mostly being due to being gone all of the time. When the door slid open to reveal a magenta skinned Togruta with white striped purple montrals and lekku. Green eyes glittered up at him as a smile lit up her already beautiful face. He stood there transfixed.

  
Her smile faltered for a moment before he reached out and pulled her to him. His arms wrapped around her, tightly practically crushing her to him. It was different this time around. After that six months of her being simply gone, no word, nothing. Knowing she’d faced down the Emperor, again...it made every moment with her all the more important, precious.

  
He wasn’t just in deep. He was practically submerged. He held on to her like he was afraid that if he let her go, she wouldn’t be there anymore.

  
Feeling her arms slid around his torso and return his embrace, he let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. He looked down, his golden-brown eyes locking with her green gaze. He hadn’t a single word to say. What could he say? Words didn’t seem important, not then. Not when she was physically here. She hadn’t been gone for six months this time, just four and a handful of days in change. Still, everything about this moment seemed...different.

  
Instead of speaking, he dipped his head to capture her lips in a desperate kiss. She responded to him, her arms around him tightening, her lekku shivering against his chest.

  
_Don’t let go,_ he thought more to himself but also to her. _Don’t let go, please._

  
As if she was reading his mind, and maybe she was, there was no telling with the Force, her arms tightened, squeezing him. They stood there, clutching at each other for a long silent moment.

  
_I love you._ The words weren’t spoken, not even whispered but he felt them and somehow knew she felt them too.

  
She was alive and here in his arms. Three years of dangerous work, nearly losing her too many times before even realizing how much he meant to her...yet, here she was. Very much alive. It wouldn’t be the end of dangerous missions, he knew that. They both knew that. It was just incompatible with their jobs and maybe that’s why he didn’t want to actually give voice to his feelings for her, to hear her voice her own feelings for him.

  
Wasn’t it enough to just feel?

  
_It is, for right now,_ he thought and kissed her once more.


	16. Excerpt 16: Be Careful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theron has a few words with Peytzia after her briefing with Colonel Darok.   
> She's about to hit Korriban...and he feels the need to clear the air.

Cooly Professional. That was the phrase to use to describe her meeting with Colonel Darok and Theron. Everything about it was...weird. Like she and Theron had never met before. There were reasons for that of course. She wasn’t one to mix business and pleasure either but she hadn’t expected such an...awkward meeting. As such, she didn’t glance back as she’d walked out of the mission room aboard Carrick station. What would be the point? Even after four years of stolen moments and stolen days they’d never clearly defined what was between them.

  
Even still, it left a bad taste in her mouth and a rather hollow feeling in her gut.

  
Peytzia pushed those thoughts aside as she approached the shuttle that would take her to the ancient Sith home-world of Korriban where she would lead the assault.

 

Back in the mission, Theron waited a few minutes after Peytzia left the room. Pretending to look over a few data-pads for Colonel Darok’s benefit more than his. After a sufficient amount of minutes had passed, Theron turned around and started walking out the door giving a brief non-existent excuse to the Colonel. He needed to get to Peytzia before she made it to the shuttle. Despite knowing she could handle herself, he was still overcome with the urge to tell her to be careful. He needed to if only for his own sanity.

  
He found her quickly, entering the elevator that would take her to the shuttle bay. Slipping in through the closing doors, he caught up.

  
“Uh..Hey,” he said, feeling awkward suddenly.

  
“Hello,” she said. Her face held a guarded expression though her eyes spoke of her confusion.

  
“Look, I um..” he reached up and rubbed his neck absently. “I’m sorry about the formality of that meeting. I thought it was best if...certain people didn’t know about...us.”

  
She was silent for a moment, studying him or considering his words, he couldn’t tell. The scrutiny made him uncomfortable. Her face was a mask. It was very different then the last time he’d seen her, just a few weeks ago. After a moment, she’d nodded.

  
“Understood,” was all she said, curt and professional.

  
“I don’t think you do,” he said, quietly.

  
“Oh I do,” she said, her voice was a bit too calm for his comfort. “You want us to be a secret and I understand why.”

  
“I don’t want us to be a secret,” Theron blurted out. “I...I just...We’ve never really discussed this...us. I didn’t know how you felt about-”

  
“Theron, It’s fine,” She said, and he saw the mask start to fall away. There was pain in her eyes but also understanding. “You’re right, we haven’t discussed it. The time has never really presented itself. And right now, is certainly not an opportune time.”

  
She was right and he was beginning to feel a little foolish standing there.

  
“Just...just be careful, okay,” He said in complete seriousness, his hand reached up to stroke her cheek. “I’ll talk you through it, all of it.”

  
Finally, she smiled at him and placed a warm hand on his chest, “Then I should have no problem in being careful. Since you asked so sweetly.” A quick peck on his cheek and the elevator door opened, with but a glance she strode through the doors towards the shuttle. He remained there, watching her walk away before the doors slid shut.

 

It would be several hours later when he would look up to see her walking through the doors into the mission room on Carrick Station. It hadn’t mattered that he had known she was okay. He had talked to her the entire way through the assault. When the Colonel had left the room after the assault was officially over, Theron had encrypted his feed to Peytzia before speaking to her again.

  
“I’m glad you’re okay, See you soon.” Those had been the final words to her before the feed was cut and she’d been shuttled back here.

  
She looked tired and had a few scrapes along her hands. Her white-gold clothing while still beautiful on her curves were no longer pristine. Dirt and blood smudged several places. Their gazes locked and he was relieved to see that there was no hint of a guarded expression, even when Colonel Darouk started speaking to her, drawing her attention away from him.

  
Of course, there was very little in the way of reprieve for him or Peytzia as alarms started blaring. After giving a glance at the readouts, he locked his gaze with her once more. Alarm and seriousness threaded his voice.

  
“It’s Tython,” he said.

  
The Empire was attacking the Jedi homeworld just as they had Korriban.

  
Once again, she was asked...No, _Sent_ , to save a planet. Darok hadn’t even hesitated and it had been up to Theron to alert the fleet as well as get a message to the Jedi about the attack.

  
Something wasn’t right with this. There were no such things as coincidences.

  
And if something happened to Peytzia on this mission, Darok would be the first on Theron’s list.


	17. Excerpt 17: "I Need A Drink"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A post briefing Cantina Rendevousz for Theron and Peytzia as they realize there is more to the attacks on Korriban and Tython.

Colonel Darok had been quick to congratulate her and then dismiss her despite the strange timing of both their assault on Korriban as well as the Empire’s attack on Tython. She could sense the slight annoyance coming off of him when she’d voiced concerns and wanted to push to investigate. He’d refused, politely of course with plenty of lip service to her. It was only Theron’s promise of “We will” in regards to figuring out if the Empire’s fault in intelligence was accurate that rang true in the Force.

  
Colonel Darok had turned and walked off to gather his own belongings when Theron took only one step closer to her. He looked her dead in the eye.

  
“I don’t know about you, but I need a drink,” Theron said, his intentions were clear to her in the Force. He was significantly easier to read than the Colonel though she figured that had more to do with their intimacy then her actually Force abilities. She gave him a nod as he walked passed her.

  
Twenty minutes later she was entering the station’s cantina. She spotted him across the rather large expanse of patrons and tables easily. His presence shown like a star to her. Keeping her movement’s casual, she eventually made her way over to him.

  
A few feet off, she caught a holo image over the table he was sitting at. Three people, one was clearly Grandmaster Satele Shan. The image vanished upon her approach to the table. He’d stood up and pulled out the other empty chair for her. With a smile she accepted and sat down.

  
“Was that Grandmaster Satele?” She purposely left out the last name. She’d already figured out the connection between him and her Grandmaster. Family, to some degree at any rate. He’d never once mentioned it before and she had never wanted to push him on it.

  
“Currently acting as emissary to the Drayvos League, no where near Tython,” Theron said, looking at her. He was expecting a plethora of questions, the way the skin near his eyes tightened and the way his very presence felt...guarded, shielded even, told her, it wasn’t a subject he was very favorable towards.

  
“Theron, if this bothers you we don’t have to talk about it,” She said in an attempt to calm him. He shook his head at her and sighed heavily.

  
“No, we need to. This is a conversation we need to have before…” He trailed off, glancing away briefly. A shimmer of hurt appeared in his eyes and sparked across the table in the Force. He looked back at her, “Before things go any further…between us.”

  
Peytzia tilted her head but nodded. Something was bothering him, something that he’d held onto for a very long time. She could tell it was incredibly difficult for him and so remained silent.  
“We’re not close, The Grandmaster and I,” He said. “Your order is..uh...pretty particular on that point.”

  
It was an entirely loaded statement. The way his eyes held on to hers when he’d uttered the words. Satele was his mother and given the statement, must have given him up as a young child, a newborn no doubt. Here he was, in a nearly..four year...undeclared intimate relationship with a Jedi. Peytzia’s eyes widened slightly at the realization of what Theron was truly asking her. The reason he’d...kept everything quiet and acted coldly professional during that first meeting before assaulting Korriban made perfect sense.

  
Her hand moved across the table to cover his with a gentle squeeze.

  
“I don’t know what the circumstances were and even if I did, I’m afraid you’re stuck with me for as long as you’ll have me,” she said, hoping that he wouldn’t snatch his hand away from her. He didn’t, instead he shifted his hand to wrap his fingers around hers. The very fact that he was allowing himself to be vulnerable with her showed her something new about him. He was willing to continue this even if she was a Jedi.

  
“Are you sure?” He asked, his eyes held a haunted look to them as he read her face. “I mean you Jedi do have your rules and this-” he waved his hand between them. “is breaking at least one, I’m pretty certain. If the Council were to know-”

  
“It wouldn’t matter to me, Theron,” Peytzia interrupted him. She knew where this was going and she couldn’t blame him. “Whether they actually took my title and my lightsabers from me, I will always be a Jedi. It’s more than just a title. And...the Jedi have been known to…be lenient with certain broken rules. Regardless, I’d rather loose the weapons, the title, the rank, my position on the council than lose you.”

  
“Not a very Jedi-like thing to say,” Theron said with slight humor. “Especially with a galaxy at stake.”

  
She tilted her head at him. “That depends on your viewpoint. I find the Jedi Code to be...open to interpretation. I don’t know what you want me to say here. I have no plans on leaving, unless that is what you truly want. If that’s the case, then it’s up to you to do the walking.” Her heart was heavy on those words. She had no intentions of walking away from him. Not even the galaxy itself could make her do it. But if he wanted to leave, she would understand.

  
“No, I’m not walking away from you,” He said, the hint of a smile curving his lips as his thumb brushed over her palm. “I just needed to know if you wanted that.”

  
“I want you, Theron,” She said, affirming what was already in her heart. “Even if we’re constantly apart because of our jobs. When we...When we’re together...well, it’s more than worth it. To me.”

  
“Good to know,” Theron said.

  
“There are still things you want to talk about,” she prompted after he fell silent. She could feel it, he was...fighting himself. Pushing whatever he was feeling inside back down.

  
“Not the time, unfortunately,” He said and withdrew his hand from hers as he straightened in his seat. “Especially since I need to do some digging.”

  
And with that the conversation switched topics. There was no pushing him, she knew. He was as stubborn as she was.

  
“But I need something I can count on,” he continued, watching her. “I’m hoping that person will be you.”

  
“You’re talking about the Colonel,” she said.

  
“Exactly,” he answered. “Even without the Force, I know when things don’t add up. These ops, Colonel Darouk...something is being buried here. I know it. The real question is are you going to take your shiny medal and go home like Darok is hoping or are you ready to start digging?”

  
Peytzia leaned back in her chair and tilted her head to the side, “Is that a serious question? I’m with you on this, Theron. I thought that was a given.”

  
“Maybe, but that medal is nice and shiny,” Theron quipped.

  
“Honestly?” She asked, confusion threading her voice. “When have you ever known me to put more value on a...” she trailed off when he saw the amusement in his eyes. “You’re poking fun at me.”

  
“Just a little,” he admitted. “In all seriousness though, I mean it. I’m going to gather whatever information I can find on Colonel Darok and that sith lord you spoke to when you saved Tython. Once I find out anything and find a connection, I’ll give you call.”

  
“If there is a ‘we’ in there some where, I must have missed it,” she pointed out. “Because it seems like you’ll be doing all the digging. What do you need me to do?”

  
“Just continue your job as a Jedi and look pretty,” Theron said with a wink as he stood up. “I’ll handle the intel. SIS after all. Don’t worry, I’ll call you.”

  
“You’d better,” she warned as she stood up. He started walking past her but not before catching her hand and raising it to his lips for a quick kiss. She watched his departing back until he was out of sight.

  
He wasn’t used to being a team player, she knew that. He also wasn’t used to having someone else care about him. That was evident to her as well even if it was probably something he wouldn’t voice.

Then again, perhaps the same could be said of her.


	18. Excerpt 18: No Contact

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Revanites aren't done yet, and with the group in danger Theron and the rest go off grid. He's not about to jeopardize Peytzia no matter how much she would prefer him next to her.

Manaan, Rakata Prime…Rogue Republic Forces in league with Rogue Imperial forces, led by Colonel Darouk and the Sith Lord Arkous…All going by the name, Revanites. All bent on taking out both factions all on the orders of Revan himself. To save the Galaxy, the masked holo figure had said to her before promptly bombarding the ancient Rakatan temple she’d been in. Theron, the sith Lord Lana Beniko who was working with Theron and Peytzia to stop Revan, hadn’t been with her when the bombardment started. They’d been in Jakarro’s ship and there had been no way to get to her.

  
Luckily, extremely lucky at that, Darth Arkous had landed his personal shuttle on the temple’s roof.

  
With some quick thinking and the Force, Peytzia and Jakarro were able to escape the destruction. So much collateral damage for one Jedi. Even if the Rakatan primitives were hostile having been easily manipulated by the Revanites...they hadn’t deserved this.

  
Sitting in the copilot’s chair as Jakarro pushed the long-range shuttle into hyperspace after setting course for the Republic Fleet space station, Carrick station, Peytzia frowned and looked out the view-port.

  
She’d received a message from Jedi Master Oteg that Revan, the very same Revan who’d turned Sith, ravaged the Republic then was redeemed and saved the very same people and the Jedi Order three hundred years had finally become one with the Force. After three hundred years of being the Sith Emperor’s prisoner, kept alive by sith alchemy and stasis, she had believed he would finally be at peace with death. That had been...two years ago now?

  
Only now, apparently Revan was very much alive.

  
And he’d been very busy in the last two years.

  
Peytzia took a deep breath then sighed. Her muscles ached and there were several sore spots that were beginning to make themselves feel known. The battle with Darouk and Arkous had been brutal. She didn’t really understand any of it, why they would even think to follow a clear mad-man whose intentions were quite clear.

  
Jakarro growled at her questioningly.

  
“Yes, we should get a message to Theron and Lana,” Petyzia nodded in answer. “I’ll handle it, just...relax Jakarro. Believe it or not, Theron’s a very good pilot.”

  
Jakarro rumbled his disbelief as she stood up and moved to the back of the shuttle. She was aware of Theron’s abilities and his skills were well trained. What she was worried about was if he was able to get away from Rakata Prime before Revan had noticed the ship. After sending a brief message to him she had to wait.

  
There was no response the entire time it took them to get to Carrick Station.

  
When they finally arrived, Jakarro had said something about needing a heavy drink and lots of food as Peytzia made her way to the mission room where this entire Revanite adventure began. She’d been certain she would find him there but as she approached the mission room, her heart jumped to her throat as she stepped in and saw it all but completely destroyed. Consoles were smashed, there was evidence of a blaster fight. She could see several sprays of blood. Whatever had happened had been violent, bloody. Yet no bodies remained.

  
“Theron...” she whispered his name, stretching out with the Force, hoping to sense his presence. If he was on the station or in the system she’d feel him, provided he was alive.

  
A beeping sounded behind and she turned, her hand drifting towards her light-saber automatically. Seeing Theron’s astromech, Tee-three her hand fell away and listened to the stern droids beeps.

  
She was to go back to Manaan.

  
Within fifteen minutes, she and Jakarro who was expressing his displeasure at his meal having been interrupted, were back on the shuttle in hyperspace heading for Manaan.

 

Theron Shan couldn’t stop pacing back and forth in the Manaan observatory. His mind was racing, a million different things most related to the Revanites and the information he and Lana had discovered since Peytzia had started her mission on Rakata Prime. The one thing that was foremost in his mind though was Peytzia herself. She’d been at point blank range when Revan started his bombardment.

  
_She’s survived worse,_ he told himself, unable to keep himself from moving. But his mind had other scenarios running through his head, what if she hadn’t? There was no way for him to tell. He couldn’t even contact the SIS or the Jedi to get even a bead on the possibility of her survival. His chest ached painfully at the thought.

  
Lana tried several times to get through to him about Peytzia, saying she was certain of the Jedi’s survival.

  
Theron had to, no...Needed to see her for himself. He wouldn’t go to ground without that...assurance.

  
That was another thing, he had to disappear. With the Revanites bounties on his, Lana’s and even Jakarro’s heads, they all needed to disappear. He was a rogue agent now, and being apprehended on sight would only lead to his death and the Revanites wouldn’t be stopped. He had to go but he needed to tell her before that. He knew her well enough to know that she’d find him, especially if she saw the mission room back on Carrick Station. Hell, he would do the same if their places had been reversed.

  
He despised the idea of having to cut all contact with her for the-force-knew how long but it had to be done. He wouldn’t risk the Revanites going after her too. Her reputation hadn’t been touched and he preferred to keep it that way. It was better for him to go to keep her alive and safe, Jedi or no.

  
He was still in the midst of his pacing when he heard her footsteps approaching.

  
“You made it, I knew it.” He heard Lana say as he turned to lay eyes on Peytzia. He sighed in relief as he crossed the room towards her. For a brief moment, he looked down into her eyes as she looked right back then not giving a damn who else was in the room with them, he gathered her up in his arms. It didn’t seem like it had been too long ago when she’d showed up on his doorstep after defeating the Emperor.

  
“With the amount of fire Revan’s ship was laying down, I...wasn’t optimistic. It’s so good to see you,” he said to her, holding her against him. Her arms had wrapped around her torso, she was slightly trembling.

  
“I was worried about you too,” she said, muffled against his chest.

  
“{Forget all that, My ship better be in one piece!}” Jakarro barked loudly as he entered the room. Their reunion interrupted, Theron coughed and stepped back from Peytzia. He glanced at Jakarro, he was more than willing to take on an angry wookie now that he knew beyond any doubt that Peytzia was safe. He didn’t want her to leave his sight just yet, but getting the Wookie calm by seeing his ship safe would help speed the next bit of information up and keep his limbs from being ripped off.

  
“The ship is fine, come see for yourself. In fact there is something we need to talk about,” Theron said, gesturing for Jakarro to follow him out of the room. Lana would probably handle the rest, telling Peytzia they all had to go to ground…

  
Surprisingly, Jakarro took the news of having several death marks and bounties on his head a lot better than he’d initially thought. Theron wasn’t sure if the wookie’s casual attitude about it meant he’d been through this before or he was just relieved his ship was safe. By the time he’d made it back to Peytzia and Lana, he was certain Lana would have already divulged the information.

  
But the Sith Lord only further proved her compassion.

  
“Did you tell her?” Theron asked.

  
“I thought it best if you did the honors,” Lana answered then gave a friendly smile to Peytzia. “We’ll meet again, I’m certain of it.” With that, the blonde haired Sith gave a bow and left the room.

  
They were alone and for the last time for a long while.

  
Peytzia was looking at him expectantly and Theron suddenly felt like there were no words he could use to ease how this was going to feel for both of them.

  
“Theron, what is it?” Peytzia asked. Concern showed on her face but it wasn’t for her, as always she was concerned about him.

  
He stepped up to her again and pulled her to him, dropping a kiss on her forehead, “There is no easy to tell you this. Don’t know why I thought this wouldn’t be hard.”

  
Perhaps she could feel his emotions, the way they were rolling about in him because the way her arms tightened around him, the way one of her hands held on to the back of his jacket mirrored the way he felt about not wanting to let her go again.

  
But he had to.

  
“After Rakata Prime, the reason the Mission room on Carrick station is destroyed,” Theron started, “The Revanites have more reach than we’d ever thought.”

  
“You mean bounties? Assassination attempts?” She asked.

  
“No, not exactly, not directly at least. Lana has an Imperial contract of a bounty on her head, for murdering Darth Arkous. She would have gotten a promotion normally for that kind of thing,” Theron said, trying to find some levity.

  
“Not your best joke,” Peytzia admonished.

  
“Yeah, I know, sorry,” Theron said, “Jakarro’s got twelve death marks on him, which apparently is a new record for him.”

  
“And you?” She asked, the worry in her voice evident.

  
“’Disavowed Rogue Agent, Apprehend on sight,’” Theron chuckled, “Pretty tame compared to the others, the Director must have stood up for me.”

  
Peytzia’s own chuckle was quiet but genuine, “I always knew you were a dangerous man to be around.”

  
He dropped his head for a quick kiss, looking in to her eyes, “That’s why I have to go, Peytzia. You’re record is still clean, you’re nearly untouchable to the Revanites. But it won’t stay that way if you’re seen even remotely working with us. Lana, Jakarro and I, we’re all going off grid. We need to stay hidden so we can continue this investigation. That means...No contact. Period.” He pulled her closer to him, tightening the embrace. This was going to be his most difficult mission, keeping the no contact thing, especially with her.

  
It was Peytzia’s turn at trying to find some levity, “No contact? Not even a little bit?”

  
Theron gave her a lopsided smirk, “No, no contact at all. Not if it means giving the Revanites even the smallest opening to get at you. If we’d had more time...maybe I could have figured out a way to drop you little messages or...something. But we don’t have time. The faster we start running, the faster we’ll get to the bottom of this. They’ll be watching you, don’t doubt that. But as long as you keep doing your thing, achieving all of those impossible things, they won’t be able to get at you. Not easily and I’ll be doing what I can to keep them off.”

  
“Theron, to be honest I’m more worried about you than myself,” Peytzia said. Her eyes were shining, wet with tears he knew she wouldn’t shed, not until after this entire thing was over.

  
He brought his left hand up to cup her face, “I know but I’ve got tricks, ideas and more than a few solo no contact missions under my belt. Not saying that this won’t be dangerous even with the people running with me. But this time...this time I have you.” He brushed her lips with his. “I have you to keep on my game. I’ll be back. I promise.”

  
“I’ll hold you to that,” she said before Theron dipped his head once more and gave her a deep and passionate kiss.

  
A few moments later, he was walking way from her, heading out of the room.

  
“I love you, Theron.” Her words reached him, shocked him actually. He froze then glanced over his shoulder. She hadn’t turned around, her back was to him. She’d intended for him to hear it but not respond.

  
He knew the words to say. This whole convoluted investigation had only further showed him everything he stood to loose, he was looking at her right now. What was stopping him from admitting to her his feeling for her? Giving voice to such things?

  
_There is a chance you won’t come back,_ _that you won’t get another opportunity to tell her you love her_ , his mind told him. No, if he was going to tell her, it wouldn’t be when they’re both in life-threatening situations. She deserved more than that. She deserved to hear it unexpectedly over a cup of caf in the morning, or whispered in her ear in the middle of the night wrapped in his arms.

  
Not when he had to leave her, just to keep her safe.

  
“I know,” he said, hoping she could hear and feel the emotion in his voice. Hoping that given all that Force power, she would know beyond a doubt.

  
With that, he left the room and went off grid.


	19. Excerpt 19: Crazy Idea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theron has a strange idea while he and Lana are off grid.

Three months, twenty-eight days and fourteen hours give or take a few minutes. That was how long it had been since he’d had to say goodbye to Peytzia back on Manaan. It seemed a hell of a lot longer than that. Years, maybe. It was kind of strange in a way. Even though he worried about her, it wasn’t like the time she’d been in the Emperor’s grasp for half a year, when he had no clue where she was, if she’d even been alive. He knew where she was or had been in within a few days of any events. The No Contact rule kept him from sending her messages or receiving any she may have sent. It was the hardest damn thing he’d ever had to do. But No Contact didn’t mean he couldn’t keep his own tabs on her. He wasn’t spying on her. It was just a nice reassurance, something he realized he wouldn’t make it through too much time without. He could only imagine how she felt, not having a clue where he was and no way to find out. Then again, knowing her, it was no wonder she’d been so busy the last four months. She’d deal with her feelings in private, and keep a brave face in public.

  
He wasn’t alone though, not all of the time. Lana, Jakarro and the droid, Dee-four were around at some point. They’d all gone off the grid. Their investigation of the Revanites taking them into dangerous territory on various days. In fact, he rarely had time to himself and that was quickly beginning to seem like a luxury he’d taken for granted.

  
It would end soon, hopefully. Well, he’d have the woman he’d rather spend every minute of his time with right there with him.

  
As soon as he figured out how to get her to his location without contacting her directly.

  
Theron sat a console, tapping his chin as he frowned up at the console screen. He, Lana and Jakarro had followed a series of leads and dead-ends through deadly situations to the remote planet of Rishi. A planet that was exclusively built for and run by pirates. The Revanites were here, he was certain of it. They had already found more than just a few instances but they couldn’t closer. Not without a certain Jedi with them. The No Contact thing was still in affect and he couldn’t risk the Revanites realizing any of them where on the planet let alone that Peytzia was heading to the planet. Too many things could go wrong. The Revanites could simply vanish, or go hunting them...or go after Peytzia and that...that would simply not be okay with him.

  
So, he had to get her to Rishi without her knowing it was him and without the Revanites knowing she was on the planet until it was already too late. He’d already tried to simply get her navicomputer to just...bring her here. But Peytzia wasn’t stupid and her security on that ship wasn’t just Jedi security, or even high ranking Military security. He’d upgraded several things and working his own handiwork could be tricky. No, there had to be something else he could do…

  
“It is unfortunate that we can’t simply sign your name,” Lana spoke up behind him. “I have no doubt that she would come running in that case.”

  
Theron frowned and glanced over his shoulder at her. He wasn’t sure if that was sarcasm or simply amusement coming from the blonde Sith.

  
“Yeah well, putting my name on a message would any send the Revanites after her,” he said, looking back at the console. “We need something that will grab her attention and not just as a mild curiosity.”

  
“You know her best, Theron,” Lana said, her voice softening. “I’m sure whatever you come up with will get her here to us.”

  
“It has to be something out of the ball park,” he was murmuring.

  
“We’ve already established rumor of her as a pirate captain of the Red Hulls,” Lana suggested.

  
Theron’s brow was furrowed in concentration and Lana’s voice faded into the background. Then an idea, outlandish and a bit funny, he had to admit, popped in his head.

  
“Cannibals,” he said with a chuckle.

  
“What?” Lana asked.

  
“Cannibals, we’ll spread the rumor that the Red Hulls are Cannibals and therefore eat their enemies,” Theron said. Imagining the look on Peytzia’s lovely face when she found this out had him laughing.

He could feel Lana’s yellow eyes boring into him.

  
“I’ll admit, that does have the best merit in getting her here,” Lana said, grudgingly. “But she clearly needs to get here fast.”

  
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Theron asked.

  
“You’re clearly losing your mind,” Lana stated simply.

  
Theron laughed and went about drawing up more fabricated exploits of the famous Red Hulls and their cannibalistic ways.

  
He couldn’t wait to see her.


	20. Excerpt 20: Cannibal Pirates? What??

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After some strange coordinates pop up on her Navicomputer, a force vision of Revan, Peytzia lands on Rishi...to be told she's a cannibal pirate. Its the weirdest rumor she's ever heard in her life.

“Eat people? What are you talking about?” Peytzia asked the Rishi native, a bird looking species, in genuine bewilderment.

  
Qaraah, one of the locals, set up on the docking pier held both fear and genuine fascination within him. She could feel it bristling through the air from him. A few people walking by had heard the Rishian proclaim her as the Captain of the Red hulls. Several fearful glances were shot their way and at least one person scurried away out of pure fear.

  
“It’s what you do, everyone knows!” Qaraah said, “And it’s no big deal! I’m sure those people your crew ate on Talloran had it coming.”

  
Peytzia could only stare at him as he talked, his beak almost quivering as he proceeded to speak. She and her crew had just landed on the remote planet of Rishi, known to be a pirate haven. After receiving a force-vision telling her Revan was on a remote planet and people were suffereing, dying, she was told by her astromech, Teeseven that a course to Rishi had been programmed and locked into the navicomputer. That was all the confirmation she’d needed to head straight here not knowing what to expect upon arrival.

  
Being told she was the cannibal captain of the pirate crew, the Red hulls, had been completely unexpected.

  
“Jedi=eat people? Jedi=sick?” Tee-seven beeped at her. She could hear the subtle tone of the beep telling her that he was poking fun at the outrageous rumor.

  
“We’re all friends here!” Qaraah was saying. “No need for massacres or cannibalism here, right?”

  
She was about to protest the rumor, try to explain to this Rishian that she wasn’t a cannibal in any way, shape or form when her instincts told her that playing the part may have better results in getting to the bottom of this matter. It could very well tie into her vision.

  
“As the Captain of Red Hulls,” She started with the feeling of disbelief that she was actually uttering such a sentence. “I promise no massacres or...cannibalism. Definitely no cannibalism.”

  
Qaraah looked completely unconvinced, just trying to nod and get her away from him. At some point during the bizarre conversation he mentioned a man named Gorro. The only lead she had, she moved through Rishi with Teeseven towards the cantina where this Gorro supposedly frequented.

  
After that she spent several more hours just running around the Pirates Cove after leads. One involved a Kai Zykken, a datapad and a kowaiken monkey-lizard. The datapad held a message to Kai, a mysterious woman, covered from head to toe in black and grey clothing. She’d given Kai the heads up about the arrival of the Red hulls….She was the source. Something about her eyes was familiar.

  
Eventually this led her to the area docking area of Rishi where this Mysterious woman would supposedly be, waiting and wanting to meet the Captain of the Red Hulls.

  
Stepping into a nondescript building, she felt something.

  
_Theron?_

  
As she came around the corner, the sight of the back of a red and white jacket fully had her attention. She paused on the threshold of the safe house, staring when the man in that familiar red and white jacket turned around with a smile on his face.

  
“Hey there,” Theron said.

  
It took everything she had to resist running to him. She gave him a smile and a really? Look when Lana stepped up next to him.

  
“Theron? Lana? You two are behind all of this?” Peytzia asked.

  
Theron chuckled, “Guilty as charged. Sorry if we put you out but we had to be cautious.”

  
“Cannibals? Really?” Peytzia asked, though the smile on her face belied the amusement.

  
Theron shrugged, “Who says it was my idea?”

  
Lana pointed right at him, “It was Theron’s idea.”

  
“Hey, I had to come up with something that would get you here without being direct,” Theron said sounding some what defensive.

  
“And after all this time, I was starting to think you didn’t care,” Peytzia’s voice dropped a tone and her words elicited a flirtatious smile from Theron.

  
“Is that a fact? What are you thinking now?” He started when Lana cleared out her throat.

  
“Can we focus please?” the blonde sith asked. Her discomfort sobered Peytzia up and allowed both the Sith and Theron to bring her up to speed.

  
Twenty minutes later, Peytzia was heading towards the house’s exit after being given as mission to solidify her “pirate” cover by going after the Nove blades pirate gang as a pirate would. In the hallway leading from the main room to the front door, she felt Theron walking up behind her.

  
Turning around to face, she found him just inches away. Her green eyes met his golden-brown and she smiled at him before slipping her arms around his torso. His own smile was bright as his arms wrapped around her shoulders pulling her into him.

  
“You have no idea how good it is to see you,” he said to her.

  
She tilted her head back to look up at him, “Oh, I think I might.” She tugged on the lapels of his jacket while pushing up onto her tip toes to brush her lips against his.

  
“Hmmm” he said, when the brief kiss was broken. “I might be convinced.” He lowered his head and kissed her once more. “Be careful out there.”

  
“I will,” she said, stepping away from him with a smile over her shoulder before she walked out the door. For the only time in her life, she was glad to have become an outlandish rumor.


	21. Excerpt 21: Connected

When she walked back into the Safe house after going through a Mandalorian test and met with the Torch, Shae Vizla, Peytzia knew immediately that was something was wrong. Even without the addition of raised voices and growls in a heated argument, she could sense that Theron wasn’t present. It only took a few minutes to find out the reason for his absence.

  
He’d been captured by a group of Revanites that he, Lana and Jakarro had been investigating. Her heart jumped into her throat as it was simultaneously squeezed by the icy fingers of fear. If there was one thing Peytzia had learned about the Revanites was that they didn’t take prisoners, not if said prisoner was impossible to ‘convert’ to their way of thinking. She searched her feelings, stretched out with the Force, searching for his presence. If he was anywhere on the planet, alive, she’d find him. She would have known otherwise. She pushed her fear, instead of letting it get control of her.

  
Despite hearing Lana and Jakarro speaking to her about Theron as well as whatever else Lana believed needed attention now, Peytzia only half-listened as she searched for Theron through the Force.

  
There…

  
He was alive but in pain and currently unconscious. Her heart twisted in her chest. Even with those discreet implants he said he had to resist torture, he was still feeling it.

  
“He’s alive,” she said, her voice quiet but strong.

  
“Did you hear anything we just said?” Lana asked, her temper was barely controlled which was an unusual characteristic for the pragmatic woman.

  
Peytzia pegged Lana with a look that spoke volumes of how she didn’t much care for the attitude.

  
“I heard every single word, Lana,” Peytzia said, her voice low. “And with what Torch told me, I would say the Revanites have Theron where ever Revan’s fleet of ships would be. And where ever that fleet is, I have no doubt Revan is there too.”

  
Lana blinked at her for a moment then nodded, the tension in her seemed to dissipate slightly.

  
“I understand,” Lana said with a nod.

  
“If this is the real Revan, he’ll know Theron is his descendant,” Peytzia said, “That might be enough for Revan to keep him alive until we can get to him. And we will get to him.” Her tone left no room for debate on that front. She knew Theron would want them all to continue on their mission but she wasn’t about to let him stay with that monster.

  
There was no reason, they could continue the mission _and_ rescue Theron.

  
Dee-four was the one to the rescue with having triangulated the source of an incoming mission after he’d intercepted it when Theron had been captured.

  
“All right, we know where to go,” Peytzia said, her tone cool and commanding as she turned on her heel and started out the door.

  
“Peytzia,” Lana’s voice spoke up from behind her. Peytzia turned.

  
“Yes?”

  
“Theron will be fine, even if a powerful force user like Revan would find it extremely difficult to get anything from him,” Lana said. Her voice was soft but still resolute. Peytzia was a bit uncertain why Lana was even speaking to her about this. It was almost as if the Sith was apologetic.

  
“I know,” Peytzia nodded.

  
With that Lana gave another nod before turning away. Peytzia turned and left the safe house.

  
She reached the island they believed the Revanite’s and this fleet of ships were located before everyone else. After securing some lodging for them from a friendly Rishi chief, she took the opportunity to meditate.

  
Sitting cross legged on a pile of fur blankets towards the back of the quaint little hut, she closed her eyes. Tee-seven would alert her when their allies approached. Listening to the crackling of the fire beside, she allowed herself to let go her physical connection to the world. Falling into the familiar warm embrace of the Force, she concentrated on finding Theron’s presence once again. He was closer this time telling her he was on this island somewhere. Following his presence’s echo, she found in her mind’s eye a rather large half underground compound. Weaving through the area on the winds of the Force, she eventually found a small heavily guarded room. Within this room, she found him.

  
Beaten and bruised already, Theron was restrained on a torture table currently unconscious.

  
“Theron,” she whispered to him through the Force. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t Force-Sensitive. He would hear her voice in his head as she would, he might even notice she was around him in the Force but he was still connected to the Force just by being alive. The Living Force connected them all together. The bond she held with him, was simply stronger. And even non-force users dreamed.

 

Theron heard her voice.

  
He wasn’t sure where he was exactly but he knew he was dreaming. The last thing he remembered was being tortured personally by his ancestor. Revan had been pretty intent on converting him then switched to find out any information on Theron’s allies, more specifically Peytzia. Her work was proving a sizable threat to the insanity Revan was trying to accomplish. It was one of the few times that Theron was thankful for the Jedi training in his childhood. Revan didn’t get much out of him at all.

  
“Theron,” her voice reached him again, like an echo on a breeze. Dreaming of her was certainly better than torture. Then again, it could be some sick Force trick. Some how, he didn’t think so.

  
“Peytzia...” he tried to say, but heard his voice as a hoarse croak.

  
“Shh, don’t speak,” she cautioned him. He felt something on his shoulders as if she was right there placing her hands on him.

  
He opened his eyes and found he was surrounded a hazy distorted version of the interrogation room he’d been left in. Okay, so a dream inside a dream.

  
Looking around, he finally saw her.

  
“You’re a sight for sore eyes,” he croaked.

  
She was here in this dream but there was something different about her. She wasn’t hazy like everything else. Her curvy Togruta frame was outlined with light. Not enough to blind him but it was like she held her own glow. Her features were vivid and clear as if she was standing before him in the waking world.

  
“You’re dreaming, yes,” she said, her voice held a haunting echo to it but it was beautiful nonetheless. “But I’m not.”

  
“You mean, you’re using the Force for this?” Theron asked. He wasn’t exactly sure if it worked like that. He wasn’t force sensitive.

  
A half-smile curved her lips, “Theron, you don’t have to be force-sensitive to be connected to the Force.”

  
“Except being sensitive is necessary to project yourself into someone’s dream?” Theron asked, he wasn’t sure how he should feel about this.

  
“Honestly, I wasn’t even sure this would work,” she said with a slight shrug. “And I wouldn’t have done this under any other circumstances. But I had to be sure you were okay. I’m sorry if I overstepped any boundaries.”

  
“What? No, no it’s fine.” he hastened to assure her. If he wanted anyone to do something like this it would only be her.

  
She reached out and touched his face, he felt a warmth touch his cheek but it wasn’t the same as having her physically touch him but under the current circumstances, it was more than enough.

  
“I’d rather see you’re face than Revan’s right now,” he said.

  
She chuckled, “Well that’s good. I’ll be there soon. Just hold on.”

  
“Peytzia, if it comes down to saving me or stopping Revan, promise me you’ll stop him,” Theron urged. There was too much at stake to waste time on saving him. He’d either get through it and escape on his own or die, it didn’t matter.

  
“It matters to me,” she said and her hand fell away from him. “But I don’t think it will come to that. I’ll stop him. But you’re going to be there with me too.”

  
“Peytzia, if it-” He started but she leaned forward then, brushing her lips with his. He felt a tingling warmth spread across his lips.

  
“What if’s are pointless, you know. What if I save you and we stop him together?” She said. Her figure was starting to fade. “I have to go. I’ll be there soon. Hold on.”

  
The door to the room opened and through the fading figure of Peytzia he saw the Masked figure of Revan. He strode into the room, passing through Peytzia’s nearly gone image. Revan stopped, as if frozen on the spot. Theron saw him look around before shaking his head.

  
Theron next opened his eyes to a clear version of the interrogation room and Revan.

  
“It seems your lady Jedi is trying to find you,” Revan said. “Too bad she doesn’t have a hope in making it here.”

  
“Oh, I don’t know, She’s pretty good.”

  
_Please be careful, Peytzia_ , he thought silently as Revan started in on fresh wave of torture and interrogation.


	22. Excerpt 22: A Missed Opportune Moment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peytzia comes to Theron's rescue, the he comes to hers.

The Revanite Compound hadn’t been too hard to find once they’d had a general location. With a focus and determination that would rival the Emperor’s own will to live, Peytzia carved a path into the compound without a second’s regard to herself. She’d taken down several warships and sent her ligh-sabers through several large groups of Revanites that by the time she’d reached the entrance to the compound, she was actually surprised by the small amount of resistance she encountered inside the compound. She had a general approximation of where Theron was being held. Stepping into what seemed a large war room, she wasn’t surprised so much as annoyed when Revan’s image popped up on the holo-terminal in the middle of the room.

  
She wasted no time in getting to the point, “Where is Theron?”

  
“He and I have had some interesting conversations,” Revan’s image said. “My own flesh and blood blind to the sacrifices I’ve made. I’ve struggled for centuries to preserve the galaxy. To protect future generations from the most destructive evil that’s ever existed. How can none of you see that?”

  
She didn’t have the time to listen to him ramble on like this. Whatever his intentions had been centuries ago, he was fallen once again. She’d had enough of this. Bringing her hand in down in a sharp motion, she spoke with a dangerous icy voice, “I will tear this place to the ground if I have to. _Where is Theron_?”

  
Sounds of distant blaster fire sounded as if on queue.

  
“Hmm, not far it seems,” Revan drawled, sounding bored.

  
Peytzia looked in the direction of the sounds to see a battered and bruised Theron, running down a long hall way, firing his blaster off behind him as he slipped through a closing blast door.

  
His eyes went wide at the sight of her, breathing heavily he started speaking, “You’re here! We have to go, now!”

  
“Escaped all on your own, did you?” Revan spoke, his voice full of spite. “Pity, I was hoping to have enough time to make you see...”

  
Theron ignored him, “He’s got a jammer that’s blocking all communications in the Rishi system. The Imperial and Republic Fleets will jump out of hyperspace on top of each other, no coordination. Saboteurs in every crew, it will be a massacre.”

  
“And at last, the board will be clear of distractions,” Revan said with arrogant finality. His image flickered as the compound was rocked with an explosion.

  
“Self destruct sequence, come on we have to move!” Theron said, grabbing her hand as he started moving past her. They moved quickly back through the compound, fighting through waves of droids.

The other Revanites must have ditched the place at the first sign of Self destruct. With barely seconds to spare, they managed to get past the entrance, taking an immediate left into the river surrounding the compound. Theron pulled her into the water with him and wrapped his arms around her as they went under water right when a large explosion rocked the compound to the ground.

  
Pieces of debris fell into the water around them and they struggled to cross the expanse to the shore opposite the now ruined compound. At one point her white robes had spanned out in the water only to be caught as a large piece of debris fell heavily into the water. It pulled her out of Theron’s grasp and deeper into the water.

  
The river water wasn’t deep enough to shroud her in darkness, however, it was deep enough to ensure she wouldn’t make it back to the surface so long as she was trapped in her cloak. Panic threatened to rise in her but she tried to remain calm. Fumbling at her belt, she managed to unhook her right light-saber. She’d never used it underwater like this before and she wasn’t entirely sure it would work.

  
The water muted the usual snap-hiss as dark purple-blue light shot through the water. She attempted to turn around and slice off the cloak. Turning apparently became impossible when she realized she was too close to the large piece of rubble to get her light-saber safely between her and the debris. She wasn’t nearly focused enough, nor did she have enough air still in her lungs to attempt to use the force to lift the debris.

  
Theron’s hands found her and she found herself looking into his golden brown eyes. He’d found her.

  
Not that it particularly changed her predicament. Unless he had a vibroblade.

  
She was running out of air, even if she managed to get free, she might not make it to the surface.

  
After just a few seconds of looking at her and how she was stuck he seemed to realize that too.

  
Sliding a gloved hand around to the back of her head, his lips met hers, breathing into her. His other hand reached hers, which held her light-saber, taking it from her. Breaking the kiss, he looked at the light-saber then using his free hand, he pulled her just a little farther away from the debris before bringing the light-saber down, slicing cleaning through the white robes.

  
Finally free, they strove for the surface, hand in hand.

  
They broke the surface of the river and inhaled deep gasps of oxygen before reaching the shore. On her hands and knees, she simply breathed for a moment while Theron did the same, knelt down on knee beside her.

  
After a moment, when she felt sure she could finally speak, she looked over at him. He looked up meeting her eyes. She couldn’t help but chuckle.

  
“Well, this was interesting. I didn’t think rescuing you would lead to you rescuing me,” Peytzia said, her voice was hoarse.

  
Theron laughed and shook his head, “And from your own clothes at that. Not how I would normally like to rescue you from your robes.”

  
Peytzia could only laugh at that, “Nor the way I’d prefer it either. Come on, lets get back to the others.” She got to her feet, a little shakily but alive still. When she turned to him again, he’d pulled up to him and kissed her. It was sudden. An abrupt meeting of lips but seared with passion and a tinge of desperation.

  
“Don’t ever do that to me again, okay?” Theron breathed against her lips.

  
“I could say the same to you,” She answered with a touch of cheek.

 

Back at the Rishi village camp, Peytzia had managed to find a suitable set of clothing both for the next mission and for her size. When Theron saw her in a simple white pair of pants, a tunic that stretched down like a sort of short skirt and boots, he was convinced that she must have been born from a sacred line of mystical goddesses. She looked every bit like one.

  
They were still going over the data he’d pulled from the Revanite Compound before he and Peytzia escaped it. It would be at least a good fifteen minutes of clam before they had to rush out and take down that signal jammer.

  
Enough time for him to tell her how he felt and ask a specific question before it was too late.

  
Then again, it wasn’t exactly the best time for this sort of thing. Of course, they hadn’t had any “best time’ for this since this whole conspiracy started.

  
But the danger was only increasing.

  
She was standing before him giving him a slightly disapproving look, “Shouldn’t you be getting looked at by a medic, Theron?”

  
“Probably,” he said and shrugged then grunted when that simple movement sent pain rippling through his back. “Probably some cracked ribs, bruises. I’ve survived worse. There’s no time for a check up though. We’ll be getting the coordinates on that signal jammer any minute now.”

  
“Then will you at least sit down and let me look at you?” She asked.

  
He was about to refuse but, the thought of simply sitting with her for at least the next fifteen minutes...well that was too tempting to pass up. It had been too long since they’d last been able to do that.

  
“I’ll sit, just for a few minutes,” Theron conceded and carefully lowered himself onto a pile of furs as she did the same right next to him.

  
She interlaced her fingers into his with one hand as she brought up the other to stroke his forehead and cheek. Her touch was light and soothing. A little of the pain he’d been gritting his teeth against eased and melted away.

  
“I need to tell you something,” he said. He remembered her I love you back on Manaan. He’d been too afraid of his own feelings to tell her the same. But it was different now. He was different. He’d nearly lost her too many times already.

  
“Shh, there will be time enough for that later, Theron,” she said, her voice was soothing and melodic. A wave of exhaustion washed over him and he stifled a yawn when her fingers moved from his forehead into his hair.

  
“No, I...” he blinked at her. Why was he so tired all of a sudden? Her ministrations felt like paradise after the torture Revan had put him through.

  
Before he realized it, he was drifting off to sleep.

  
When he next opened his eyes, she was already gone, heading off to take down that signal jammer.

  
Theron closed his eyes and inwardly cursed himself for falling asleep and wasting the possibly only moment he would have to ask her to be his wife.

  
_His wife._

  
By the Force, he loved that woman.


	23. Excerpt 23: A Way With Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Revan defeated, Theron finally takes the opportunity to pop the question.

It was over, it was all over. The Revanites were gone, Revan was finally actually dead and she was very much alive if only a little bruised and sore. Damn his ancestor for being the reason she had those bruises. He’d restrained himself from rushing to her after the fight, then later at the debrief. She’d been pulled away by the Grandmaster leaving Theron to find something to make himself look busy while he waited for his opportunity. After waving off a medic, he proceeded to check over her ship. It was valid, making sure everything was good to go before she took off. In reality it was completely a cover. He’d catch her before she left the planet and that would be his now or never moment.

  
He should have done this earlier before there had been a chance he’d loose her.

  
Earlier when he would have had time to get a decent ring. He didn’t even have that. Perhaps he should forget it and wait until he had a ring.

  
Unless there wasn’t an opportunity for that. Then what would he do? Just keep putting this off until it was too late and something happened to him or her?

  
He heard footsteps and nearly whirled around. Schooling his expression and trying to keep his nerves from fraying completely, he glanced over his shoulder to see Peytzia approach. She looked tired, a little worse for wear but the smile she gave him had him smiling back and his heart starting to race.

  
How this beautiful Togruta had come to mean the very galaxy to him, he had no idea.

  
“Well, quite a ride, huh?” He said as stepped toward her, meeting her exactly at the landing ramp of her ship. “Revan’s down, the conspiracy’s over...I even got my job back. Wonders never cease.”

  
She nodded, “The SIS is lucky to have you back.”

  
“Heh, can I get that in writing?” Theron joked. _You’re just stalling now. Tell her how amazing she is, then get down on one knee or kiss or something just get to the question_ , he chastised himself inwardly.

  
Peytzia frowned at him in concern, “Is something wrong?”

  
“What? No,” he said, a little to fast. “No, nothing’s wrong given the circumstances.”

  
“Then why are you so uncomfortable?” Peytzia asked.

  
He was going to have to get used to that Jedi part of her. He shook his head then took a deep breath.

  
“It’s funny, you’re this famous Jedi, but since we’ve started working together you’ve been a spy, a sabotuer, a fake pirate...how’d you pull it all off so well?” He asked. It was true, all of it. She’d played every role required of her without a single hitch. Never once complained.

  
_Wow, Theron, that was the worst way to tell her she’s amazing_ , He thought to himself. He was just not good at this. Even after the years of being together, he was still...finding it difficult to tell her how he felt. Then again that had never came easy to him.

  
“Well, with help as good as you, everything is easy.” She gave him another stunning smile. He was certain his ‘help’ wasn’t as good as she claimed, but he’d take it. He stepped up to her, and pulled her into his arms.

  
“I could say the same about you,” he said, looking down into those vibrant pools of green. He loved this woman, there was no use in even denying it anymore. Not to himself and not to her.

  
“And there was just one more thing,” he said, his voice dropping as he felt her arms slip around his torso. He cupped her face with his left hand “You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met and uh...I’d like it if we could spend the rest of our lives together.”

  
He didn’t think it was possible to see that gorgeous smile get even brighter, her eyes took on a shinning sheen.

  
“Are you...are you asking me to-”

  
“Marry me?” Theron interrupted her finishing the question with a smile, “Yeah, I am. I don’t have a ring yet but-”

  
Her hands had found their way to his face and she pulled him down as she stood up on her tip toes, their lips met and his thoughts about a ring went out the window. Their lips melded to each other. He pulled her as close to him as he could as he got lost in the feel of her lips against his, the sweet smell of her.

  
Then she broke the kiss, smiling up at him with a single tear running down her cheek.

  
“Yes, of course I will,” she said in a breathless voice.

  
“Even with the Jedi?” He asked, realizing he hadn’t given any thought to the possible position he may have just put her in. He would understand of course, but...it would hurt like hell.

  
“Oh Theron,” Peytzia said, reaching up to plant a kiss on his nose. “They can say what they want, even cast me from the Order.”

  
“Are you sure?” He asked, he knew the Order had been her entire life. Even with the conversation his own mother had tried to have with him, he and Peytzia had only briefly discussed it.

  
“I’m more than sure,” she said, pulling him down for another kiss. “If they don’t understand, that’s not my problem. I know what I know, what I feel and...the Force works in different ways all of the time. It guides us down different paths, and it’s led me to you all those years ago. Each time we’ve had to part, our paths have always led us back to each other.”

  
He smiled as he rested his forehead against her, “You have a much better way with words than I do.”

  
She chuckled, “I don’t know, you’ve said all the right things so far.”

  
“I love you,” he said, finally giving voice, life to what he felt for her.

  
She smiled and kissed him again, “I know.”


	24. A Note From the Author

I just wanted to leave a little note here to let you all know that this story is getting revamped a bit. Starting from around Chapter 17 and therefore the SOR era of this story, there's going to be..MOAR.   
I decided after a long time to continue Peytzia and Theron's slightly divergent AU story through Kotet and Kotfe expansions. (I have yet to fully decide on whether im going to take them through the Iokath/Umbara stuff....we'll see) Anyway, Im going to be expanding the SOR part of the story with more excerpts (don't worry they will still get married XD) This is gonna take some time as i do have like 20 millions headcanons and fics and what not XD Just a note, Peytzia and Theron get their own Series here on AO3. This is considered part 1 and will end with their marriage ceremony as before (just gonna have some more SOR stuff i think) Then part 2 will be a thing with Ziost, the 5 year time skip and KOTFE, etc.   
Just wanted to let you guys know! I haven't abandoned this fic, i just have to take my time and divvy it up between life, college, and allllllll of the fics i have.   
Stay awesome, Angel Faces


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